The Contract
by unicornndragon
Summary: AU- Reborn wants nothing more than something to satisfy his hunger. Tsunayoshi wants nothing more than someone to help him with his revenge. And thus, a deal is made.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey people! I know that I should be working on Ten Years Worth of Precious Memory now but this idea won't stop bugging me. It came up when I was watching Gintama. The need to write a KHR cover of Kuroshitsuji was too tempting. Oh, and I'm currently working on a oneshot now too.**

**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness of the character for the sake of the story.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. And I apologize in advance if there is any similarities to another fanfic's plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1; That man, Dangerous<strong>

The streets of Tokyo was always so busy, people of all ages walking down the spacy pathway, vehicles speeding down the road, all with a destination in mind. Neon lights lit the city positioned under the sky that was painted black, cold air blowing making the skimpily dressed women shivered.

The night was still young. Stressed out businessmen crashed into the nearest nightclub, demanding for many shots of alcohol that could wash away their sorrow. Bartenders listened to their drunken rambles politely when they wanted nothing more to get off their shifts. Women grouped at one end cheering up one of their friends who had just gotten out of an already rocky relationship.

All the while, in this Friday night in the very nightclub, a man adorning a fedora looked around the place looking for one unfortunate soul.

He was a picky individual, wanting only the best out of the best. He found many promising people but many didn't last long in his short list of people he wanted to devour. There was a woman who was glaring at the man on the dance floor with her hand clasped tightly around a small bottle containing a clear liquid. _Someone was going to be poisoned tonight. _There was a man dressed richly in a tuxedo sitting at the table on the more secure part of the bar with another man whose voice was drowned by the loud music filling the bar. He could tell that _he was being betrayed on the very spot_.

The places reeked of hatred, of all the bad things in life. It was the best place for him to find a _partner_. But none caught his attention for more than a minute.

A woman wearing a red dress designed to seduce with a very low neckline that hid nothing left for imagination had been staring at him ever since she caught a sight of him. He pulled his fedora down to hide the glint in his eyes and the smirk that that slipped into his expression, amused at the behaviour of these easy creatures. This wasn't the first time a female was looking at him with undeniable lust what was with his inhumane good looks. The woman was confident and he couldn't deny her beauty, but he had lived for a while now and he had come across many more alluring humans.

_Especially the ones that have the right amount of hatred, arrogance and kindness in one. _He licked his lips. He would really prefer it if the kindness was less though, that was one of the ingredients that he wasn't really fond of. He never really liked sweets. He liked things hot and spicy.

Deciding to play along with the woman's game, he lifted his gaze and made it look as if the eye contact was merely a coincidence. He saw the woman's lips stretched into a full-blown smirk, happy to see that the man she had her eyes on were finally aware of her. She sauntered her way towards him, making sure her hips swayed side to side, accentuating her already obvious curves. He could see her outline very clearly, that made his eyes clouded with lust.

_Not the kind he desired but she could satiate one of his needs._

"What is a handsome man like you doing sitting alone in this place?" She sat herself on the stool next to his, crossing her leg over the other, all the while not breaking the eye contact between them. The already short one-piece she was wearing hitched up revealing her tanned thigh.

A wave of arousal hit him and he couldn't help but smirk. _Of course, how can creatures like them resist someone like him? _"Now, now, what gives you that idea, ojou-san?" The woman didn't carry a purse with her, he realized. He chuckled at her stupidity.

She mistook that as him being victorious at landing someone like her. That, without dount, boosted her confidence. "I could tell that you're a foreigner, a European from your features. Don't you usually come into a place like this with a partner or in groups?" she gestured to a table full of foreigners without looking away.

"Hm?"

"I don't know," she leaned forward, her fingers trailing down the man's chest while presenting him with a view of her cleavage. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, aren't you just looking for a," with a sultry voice, "_good fuck_?" She gave a lick to his neck to make a point.

Undeterred, he pulled his fedora downward. "Never thought that I'll be found out."

"Well, let's make a deal." Her hands started to unbutton his undershirt. "Like you, I have to have my release too. Why don't we pleasure each other for the night?"

He grabbed her hands, stopping her advance. "What makes you think you can satisfy me?"

She grinned, "I have a few tricks no man can resist."

He smiled, his empty black orbs glinting. He wrapped his hand around her, holding her securely. "I can't wait."

The woman couldn't help but shiver. The arms surrounding her felt really possessive. She never liked it when males acted all dominant over her. But for this guy, maybe she wouldn't mind not being in control for the first time.

_Easy._ He led her out of the place and into the inn that was strategically opened above the nightclub. He tightened his arm around her waist, caging her. _Too easy_.

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><p>A brown-haired teen ran through the crowd, using the people around him as walls to hide him from the view of his chasers. His white shirt was ripped, hanging off his shoulder slightly. The red colour of bloodstain on it contrasted greatly against the colour. He wondered why no one was paying any attention to him.<p>

Then again, this was Tokyo. A city where yakuza stepped out of the shadows when night time arrived.

He continued to dash but his legs were getting weaker with every one of his steps. It had taken a lot of his energy to escape his tormentors that evening, yet he knew that he still need to run using whatever amount of energy he had left. He was determined not to get caught again. He had had enough of them using him, of them breaking him.

Years spent in that hell hole finally broke his thinning patience. He had always been a decent guy before the day of his capture, respecting his elders and women before anything. He was told that he was the kindest person anyone had ever met too. He wondered what he had done wrong to be tortured so. He wouldn't complain though for it had changed him to a better man.

His breathing was heavy now. He knew even before the day he started plotting of his escape that he had a very low stamina. He was locked up in a room filled with nothing but an uncomfortable dirty bed. He was more than aware of his bones protruding out against his skin accentuating his unhealthy thin figure. However, he knew that his stamina was slightly higher than before.

Cursed with asthma, he was rarely allowed to tire his body. But during the moments of his capture, in order to get out of the hell he was captured in, he pushed himself for a little physical training just to build up his stamina. He knew that the only reason his body didn't develop much was because of the lack of food consumption. He was bound to be suspicious when they served him the brown thing they said to be edible. Because of his stubbornness, he always found himself unconscious, often waking up with a needle pricking on his skin filling his body with moisture and the nutrients he needed to stay alive.

_They should have just let him die._

The crowds were dispersing. In a matter of time, they would find him out. He was getting weaker by the second and his lungs felt as if it was going to burst. In favour of inhaling deep intakes of oxygen, he stopped running, hands on knees.

He vaguely heard a desperate voice called out, "Where the hell is he?"

"We're going to get our head cut off if we don't bring him back!"

The voices were getting closer. He needed to hide! There was no way that he would want to be dragged back to that place! If they found him, there was no doubt that they would make him suffer more than usual. Without thinking much, he dived into the closest alley.

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><p>Thin hands clutched on his yellow shirt as the person they belonged to tried to support herself while the man was pounding her into oblivion. The red dress that barely covered her rose up as she snaked her shapely legs around the man's waist. The low neckline was pushed to the side revealing her perfectly sized breasts. She moaned loudly every single time the man hit her pleasure spot.<p>

He didn't care if someone heard them. He was sure that this inn was built for this very purpose anyway. Unlike the woman, the man only took off his jacket and loosened his tie. Not once had he shown her any more of his skin than what had already been exposed before they were getting intimate.

He buried his face into her chest, taking in her scent. He could smell himself tainting her. That was good enough. He had no time to prepare her to taste like how he wanted. She was nothing more than an _appetizer._

His tongue traveled to her nipple, circling it and licking it. He then bit hard enough to break the skin on the side of her breast causing a small amount of blood to come out. He licked the red liquid making the woman whimper. _Not entirely satisfying but it was good enough for now._

He blew on the other nipple and that seemed to throw the woman off as she suddenly screamed loudly. He felt her walls tightening around him and her fingers piercing onto his shoulder and almost simultaneously, she came. He sighed. He hoped she didn't leave a mark. In a smooth movement, he pulled back before the white liquid could stain on his pants. It was only when he was sure that she was over her high that he thrust inside her again until he himself released.

He could tell her consciousness was slipping but he didn't want any of that. He wanted her to be wide awake until he was done with her. No way would he let her close herself off from the world, not after he soiled her with himself. "Don't sleep," he ordered. He nibbled on her ear as he whispered, "I'm not finished with you yet."

That did the trick.

Struggling to form a laugh, she said, "I don't usually go for round two with the same person." She still hadn't recovered from the high of their release. She loved it how the man had his way with her, not caring that she would break. The man only cared about his pleasure; that she could tell. "But for you, I think I will make an exception." Because there was nothing that could turn her on more than a man's selfishness.

He gave out a throaty chuckle. "I've never said anything about a second round, useless woman." He trailed kisses from the side of her neck slowly to the edge of her lips. For the first time since they went into the inn, he looked at her straight into the eyes. "I was talking about finally having my appetizer." Her eyes widened as she finally looked at it clearly. Hollow. Dark. Her own eyes dimmed at the sight of it, as if only looking at it could shorten down her life span.

He disliked it when his prey froze at the sight of him. It made him wonder if the person was already dead despite knowing well that her soul was only barely hanging into her body. Moving his arms from the wall, he went to grab her wrists. "I wouldn't have any of that." He twisted them until a sickening crack was heard, the sudden pain bringing the woman back to reality. "Scream. Yell. Thrash around. Show me how scared you are of me."

"What are you?" she yelled, body moving violently as she tried to get out of the man's grip but to no avail. She was terrified now, the look in his eyes made her breath shorten. It made blood rushed out of her body, her skin pale. "You're not human," she forced out despite the fright that was starting to take over her body. Her voice was shaky but she was still yelling bravely. That or she was just being stupid.

_At least this one has pride._

His lips twitched. He slammed her harshly onto the wall, making sure the light caught his fangs at the movement. "Haven't your mother ever told you to never talk to strangers," he let her left hand hang limply by her side as he placed his right hand on her throbbing neck pulse. '_Warm'_, he noted before licking the place. "Look at you now, picking up one in a shady bar. What if," he let out a light growl that vibrated against her skin making her heart skipped a beat. "What if I'm actually a serial killer? Out for fresh blood?"

Pupils dilated, she stuttered out, "A-are you?"

"_What if_, I didn't say I am."

She sighed and he found the relief on her expression was comical. How stupid could this one be?

"No, I'm actually worse than that." He wrapped his hand around her neck, choking the air out of her. He continued to choke her harder and harder, liking the noise she was giving. His eyes took a more sadistic glint and he knew she knew what he was by the faint realization that sparked in her eyes.

He saw something black being pushed out of the woman's mouth, what looked to be a head peeking out of her opened lips. His grin was dangerous, looking very much like the _creature _he was. While still squeezing the thing out of her, he used his other hand so that their mouth was facing each other.

"Ittadakimasu," he whispered before sucking out her soul.

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><p>He wanted so much to hold in his breath if only not to smell the foul smell the trash can he was hiding beside was emitting. But he was really in much need of air. He was feeling suffocated and the way his heart was trying to rip his chest open was not helping. He was already kneeling down on all fours as if that would make him feel his lungs with clean air. <em>Why must he have an asthma attack now of all time?<em>

He heard footsteps, the sound taunting him making him feel more helpless than he already was. His intuition was screaming, telling him that he was in danger. Breaking out of his crouching formation, he pressed himself against the wall still breathing heavily.

"Of all the places you could be hiding in, you just have to pick this one," a figure slowly appeared in front of him and he immediately knew that it was one of the guards who were ordered to bring him back. "It suits a rat like you though," he sneered.

His vision was blurring. He could hear his own pants echoing in his ears. He wouldn't back down now though. Not when he was already out of there. "You can't bring me back," he said in between pants. "I rather not get out of this place alive."

Snickering, the man dressed in what looked like a uniform picked him up by the collar of his shirt. "I would like that too. Sadly, I receive orders from above to bring you there with your soul intact. No one said anything about not injuring you though."

"You…" the brunette panted out but never got to continue what he was going to say. His lungs were hurting so much then. He couldn't focus; the lack of air was finally getting to him.

With a wicked grin, the older man was going to throw the smaller, more fragile looking one onto the wall without caring if he would be having a concussion later. However, they were interrupted by a piercing scream and shouts of _'Murder!'_ from somewhere above them for a few seconds before the older man turned to him again.

"Lucky person, no?" he smiled at him. "While you are made to suffer slowly, he can just move on to his afterlife."

"It's a _her_," a voice came out of nowhere. "I don't like it when people make a false assumption. It's a female that was taken."

The two's attention was suddenly on the man that suddenly materialized behind the brunette's tormentor. The man was wearing a fedora and a dangerous smirk on his face, dark murderous aura surrounding him.

The man clad in uniform let go of the brunette, turning to address the other man. "Can't you see that some people have business to take care of here?"

"Was just saying."

"I would've told you to scram, but," he moved his hand inside his coat to pull out the gun he placed there. "You saw something you shouldn't have."

"Eh? Weren't you just going to screw around with the little boy?" the man with the fedora said with a monotonous tone. "I'm going to be kind. There's a vacant room in the inn upstairs, I think they should've left the room unattended by now. The woman's corpse must still be there though. But don't worry, the bed was left untouched."

That statement only made the other man angrier. He didn't know what was up with the other guy, appearing out of nowhere, barging in there without any invitation. Any person in the right mind would avoid any abandoned alley during night time. But this man just walked in just to make some things that he didn't even care to know clear. _He was going to kill him._

He smoothly pulled his handgun out, immediately going into a posture so that the end was pointing at the other man but before he could even pull on the trigger, something grabbed on his leg. Surprised, he let a loose shot hoping against all odds that the bullet would somehow be directed to the other man. He indistinctly heard the sound of metal on metal but before he could even get back up, he was forced on the ground by a thin arm. He didn't have time to act when almost abruptly; a small pocket knife was pushed through his heart.

He was momentarily stunned, even more so when he caught sight of his attacker. The brown hair was familiar and the orange eyes filled him with a cold fear. He had heard of those eyes before from many of his comrades before they died.

"Who-"

Before he could continue with what he was going to say, an enraged cry came out from the teen. He felt a bit at ease when the brunette pulled the knife away but only for a split second. Because not a moment after that, the brunette stabbed him repeatedly, making his brain sending thousands of signals to his skin. Not long after that, he couldn't feel anything anymore but the teen didn't stop venting his frustration on him.

All the while, the man with the fedora was watching with glee. Who would've thought that the wimpy looking brunette who looked as if he was on the verge of death was capable of something like this. One moment, the kid was about to die, and the next, he turned to a bloodthirsty beast.

He did nothing to stop or help, only observing as the kid killed of the man. It was a funny scene in his view, like a little rabbit killing the big bad wolf. Well, there went his other appetizer. Only when the kid was done did he voice out, "I am fully capable of taking care of him myself."

Painted red by the blood that spurt on him but no longer breathing heavily, the kid slowly stood up. "I know."

The man was amused, not at the kid's answer but at the undertone in his voice. _Cold. Merciless. Full of pride._ He smirked, teeth showing.

"I need your help, demon."

Walking towards the boy, he released his suppressed aura. The teen flinched but didn't waver. He just stood there tall and proud.

"What do I have in return?"

"My soul."

He was in front of the boy now. His enhanced hearing caught sounds of footsteps rushing towards the alley they were in, no doubt being brought there by the sound of the loose shot. He stared into the boy's eyes, expecting the boy to look away. "What makes you think I would want your?"

"Nurture it all you want, I just need your help to erase someone off this world."

"Ah, revenge. But then, little boy, your ticket to heaven would be revoke."

The teen only smiled, hatred filling it to the brink. "All the more reasons to bring a _friend_ with me to hell."

At that, the man grinned.

_Yes, this boy would do._

"Tell me your name."

"Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Well, Dame-Tsuna. You've got yourself a demon."

The men were getting closer now.

"Call me _Reborn."_

And a contract was made.

Not even the bustling streets of Tokyo could drown in the sounds of the men's screams as they were being massacred.

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><p><strong>AN: Review is appreciated, it will fuel my mind to work on the next chapter faster. And sorry for the grammar mistakes! :)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry for the long wait! Here's chapter 2! More author's note at the bottom by the way so as not to spoil your mood to read with my rants. And more information about the characters too in the author's note below. ;)**

**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness of the character for the sake of the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. And I apologize if there is any similarities with another fanfic's plot.**

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><p><em><em>**Chapter 2; That man, Reliable  
><strong>

_Three Years Later_

A boy with silver hair poked out his leg from where he was standing against the wall, a satisfied expression came to his scowling face when the frail-looking brunette tripped over his feet. He just watched when the brunette shakily stood up. He was sure that the impact of the fall couldn't be that hard and that just added to his suspicions about the brunette.

He could've just ignored it but something about the brunette threw him off. Sure, the seventeen year old acted like a normal clumsy boy who shouldn't have grabbed anyone's attention. Not even his undeniably feminine features were attention grabbing even with the large brown eyes accentuating it. And he didn't. The only person's attention he had was his, the famed delinquent Gokudera Hayato. Something about the brunette was just screaming something that immediately put him on alert, even though he couldn't put a finger on what it was. It was as if… as if…

…_as if it was all just an act._

He hissed when the brunette turned to him with a scared expression, acting very much like a rat in the presence of a hungry cat. "Watch where you're going, Sawada."

The teen shrieked before sputtering apologies, "G-Gomen, Gokudera-kun! I-I wasn't looking where I was going!"

He glared at the brunette, willing for the helpless mask to just crumble and break into pieces. He stared and stared and stared but the brunette didn't even stop fidgeting, even as his glare pierced into his soul.

_How fake._

As he was about to walk past the boy, he placed a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder, hands clutching tightly on the brunette's shoulder. Oh how the boy annoyed him. "Wait until I'll show everyone your true colours, Sawada," he whispered, voice laced with warnings. _It wasn't a mere threat, it was a promise._

He was disappointed to see that the brunette's mask didn't waver.

If only he stayed for a few seconds to see a wild smirk came to the brunette's face once the shiver was gone as he muttered, "I'll be waiting, Gokudera-kun."

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><p>He always looked forward to getting home from school. He felt excitement bubbling inside him as he walked towards his home; his steps became bouncier as he got closer. Adrenaline kept on rushing into him, giving him the amount of energy that he never thought he had. How could he not when he was about to face danger personified in the body of his demon, Reborn. It was making him thrilled. Just knowing that he had finally gotten his hand on a demon made him in high spirits.<p>

_His presence assured him that he was one step closer to his goal._

The man with the fedora was currently sitting on their couch in the living room, his fingers curling on the handle of the cup of still hot espresso in his hand. He didn't blow, didn't attempt to cool down the drink at all. He didn't jerk when he gulped down the still steaming hot drink. He didn't twitch when the door behind him slammed close.

"You're back, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsunayoshi went into his bedroom, not even acknowledging the man. Reborn seemed to be irked by this, not liking to be ignored. His eyes followed his Master, the teenage boy who signed the deal with him. He was the first of all his Masters who loved to ruffle his feathers, taking some kind of a glee in seeing him angry.

_Sometimes he felt tempted to just kill the boy on the spot._

His eyes followed Tsuna as the younger boy loosened his school tie. The younger male took off his school jacket and school vest before unbuttoning his undershirt. He caught sight of a blue tattoo on the boy's shoulder and the sight always calmed his nerves in a way that he didn't like.

_How he hated the boy's control over him._

It was the only sign of their agreement, of their unbreakable trust in each other. The sign was the only thing that kept them from jumping on each other, ripping the other until they were sure that there was no way the other could be revived. At least that was what the orange-eyed alter ego of the brunette would do.

He still didn't know how it worked. The boy's sudden change of personality never failed to amuse and surprise him. He always presented everyone around him with his brown-eyed alter ego but whenever he was alone with him, the brunette always turned to his orange-eyed self. He never knew which one was the real him.

Tsuna was aware of the eyes on him, staring at him so coldly that he had no doubts that the man in the living room was a demon in a human disguise. Not that he had any doubt at all. He had been waiting to own one after all. The chills the man's glare gave out sent shivers down his spine. It took all his strength not to smile smugly but not long after, he lost to the temptation.

"I can almost see you imagining your hands piercing through me, Reborn." He pulled a T-shirt from his drawer, his voice indicating that he knew that was exactly what the demon was imagining. "You really want my blood to be spilt, don't you?"

"Whatever makes you think that, Dame-Tsuna?" He took another sip. "I'm the kind of person who abides by the contract."

The brunette smirked, "A demon that follows rules? Never knew you are such a kidder."

"Now, little mouse, you know what happens when you make a demon angry?"

"Is that a way to talk to your Master, servant?"

"You have never, not even once, acted like one," Reborn scoffed. "Sometimes I wonder if I made the wrong choice choosing you. There has to be someone better out there."

"There _will_ always be someone better out there," Tsuna replied, his playful tone gone now replaced by a coldness that Reborn never heard.

The man pulled down his fedora to hide the smile forming on his face at finding the younger boy's obvious dislike at his statement. It was apparent that he had mentioned something that hit home. _Maybe he would be able to get out of the boy's story behind the need to revenge._ But not now. Where was the fun in all of this if there wasn't any drama?

"But I'm letting you make my soul _taste _the way you want it. I'm even helping you darkening my soul. If you complain, too bad. I'll just give my soul to the next demon I meet."

Reborn's eyes flashed at his statement as he placed down the cup of espresso on the coffee table, the clattering of the cup on the saucer was the only other indication of his anger. He walked towards the younger boy who now was already standing in the kitchen roaming through their refrigerator. Just as the brunette closed the refrigerator's door, his face showing disappointment at not finding what he was looking for, Reborn pulled both of the boy's hands and pressed them against the brunette's back, holding it tightly. He forced the boy against the refrigerator cheek flat on the cold surface, a slam resounded throughout the place. He could tell that the boy was holding in his pain, something that he deserved.

"You should watch what you're saying, Sawada Tsunayoshi," he said in a tone that promised torture. He ran his hand up the brunette's side and he knew that the shiver wasn't just his imagination. He let his aura flow, filling the air with dark matters that he knew was suffocating the brunette. The younger boy's eyes were focusing in and out of focus, flickering brown, orange and brown again. He could sense it, the fear that was let out whenever the brunette turned to his brown-eyed alter ego. He recognized it as the aura the wimpy kid he first met emitted.

"You kept calling me _demon_ but do you know what I am capable of?" He lowered his face onto the boy's shoulder, ripping off the cloth over it with his teeth, the boy's breath hitching at the process. "I can kill you in an instant if I am provoked." He placed his free hand in front of the brunette, his fingers touching the front of the brunette's shoulder just where the blue tattoo was.

"I wasn't lying when I say I abide by the contract. I follow the agreement we, no, _I _have set but that does not mean that I wouldn't bend it. In fact," he scratched hard on the brunette's shoulder causing the teen to gasp at the pain it was causing as blood flowed out of it. "I would kill you without hesitating, killing you in a way that makes you think of nothing but of the pain I inflicted on you. I wouldn't even eat your soul if only to chase you down in hell and torture you over and over again and make you wish that you have never angered me in such a way."

Tsuna laughed drily. "Kill me now then."

"That's not what your brown-eyed alter ego wants." The demon grinned dangerously when he saw the brunette froze suddenly at being seen through. "I know for a fact that even as wimpy as he is, he is actually the one who makes you want revenge on your tormentor. For such a 'kind-hearted' kid to want such thing, I wonder just what your tormentor did to you," the way he said the word_ kind _sounded as if he was spitting sandpapers. The word was unwelcomed in his mouth and a very alien adjective in his dictionary, the kind that he shunned.

A blue light was emitted when the man poked his tongue out and Tsuna knew that it wasn't emitted only from his tattoo. He hissed when Reborn licked on the wound he caused, the act only somehow added to his pain.

"And don't get too cocky too." After he was done licking his Master, no, prey clean of the red liquid, he positioned his head over the younger boy's ears, close enough to say in a low voice, "You are not even close to what I like. You are the worse-tasting of all."

Reborn was sure that he stunned the brunette when suddenly the calm boy was replaced by his easily scared counterpart. As soon as he let go of his hands, the brunette slipped down the refrigerator, his breath heavy and his eyes dull. He was hyperventilating. He knew he scared the brunette shitless and yet he didn't care.

_Because he should be scared of him._

One day, he would find out just how the brunette's personality change worked. He would even punch the answers out of the brunette's gut if that was what it took for him to tell. But one thing he was sure about: It was developed sometime when the brunette was kidnapped.

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><p>"Finally deciding to accept my invitation, ne?" a cheery voice announced as he pulled back the string curtains separating the kitchen from the kitchen from the counter where his father usually made sushi for the customers.<p>

Gokudera just clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw the black-haired teen moving towards the counter. He didn't want to be there but he knew that this was the only way he could get his questions answered. He had tried asking around for Sawada Tsunayoshi's background from other people but he had no information about him other than the fact that he was and still is known for his uselessness. It was quite frustrating when they told him of someone who might know about Tsunayoshi's past and yet that person was telling him exactly what everyone had been telling him.

Yamamoto Takeshi had been bothering him about going to his father's sushi restaurant. He had always denied his invitation, having no interest in interacting with the popular baseball player in any way. He wasn't suggested by some other person either. In fact, when he demanded people to answer whether the too friendly Yamamoto had been close to Sawada, they would just yell how absurd that was. Yamamoto never interacted with the fake bastard despite being known as a more than friendly person. However, if something, he knew more than anyone else that anyone would find more luck in someone people less expected. So he decided to gamble his time on this oblivious looking guy.

"I haven't changed my mind into accepting that invitation of yours, baseball freak. I want you to answer a question." He wasn't one to waste time. Time is precious. He shouldn't waste it on someone as simple minded as this guy.

_A fruitful confrontation always started with a direct statement._

"Well, as long as you're here I don't mind your reasoning at all," Yamamoto laughed. "Unfortunately, the old man isn't here. I hope you don't mind an amateur like me to make you some simple sushi."

Yamamoto started to cut a few strips of seaweeds placing one on a small bamboo mat. Not long after, he finished making some cucumber sushi and some sushi with fish's eggs topping. All the while, Gokudera had his eyes on him. The silver-haired teen was sure that Yamamoto's eyes held some kind of a look in it when he had the knife in his hands.

_It was the eyes of an assassin._

That was enough to make Gokudera raised his guards back up. He finally realized how cold the atmosphere in the place really was as if there was some kind of a thread invisible to his naked eyes caging him, preventing him from leaving the tall stool he was sitting on. He was practically sitting in a trap where if he made just one false move, he would be cut into pieces. But as soon as Yamamoto set the knife down and placed a plate of perfectly made sushi, the air turned warm again, welcoming.

It took great ability to be able to change the atmosphere in a moment without even breaking a sweat or making some empty threats. And this Yamamoto Takeshi managed to do it just with his aura.

"Sushi specially made by Yamamoto Takeshi for Gokudera Hayato. It's free since this is the first time I made some for a customer. I can't tell if it will taste good." Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck before looking at Gokudera expectantly when his classmate picked one up.

The silver-haired teen was the kind to get suspicious at all times. It wasn't just a stupid paranoia kind of suspicious but it was the kind that a person who had survived several fights to death had. He inspected the innocent looking sushi, turning it around, eyes seeming to zoom in looking for just a tiny indication if something else out of the ordinary had been added. Bringing it closer to his face, he inhaled in hopes that his sense of smell got some indication that his sense of touch and sight failed to tell him. _Nothing._

"I didn't add anything funny on that, Gokudera. Don't worry too much. I have watched the old man for a long time already."

"I'm not stupid to not know that I'm in a dangerous territory when I am in it. Yamamoto Takeshi, a person like you who haven't tried surviving alone in a street can't fool me."

"Ahaha, well, I know that you're not just an ordinary transfer student too." Yamamoto's eyes narrowed in on Gokudera, his brown eyes glinting dangerously. Nevertheless, he acted as if he already knew that Gokudera would say something like this. "I would advise you to stay away from Sawada Tsunayoshi. You might not want to involve with a guy like him."

It wasn't turning to how he expected it to be yet he had no complaints.

_As long as it brought him closer to know more about that person._

"I see that you've heard of me asking around about him," he chose his words carefully, trying not to get his temper in the way. If he was going to deal with Sawada, he needed to get out of this alive first. He chose his words carefully, "Are you his friend?"

"You can say that that guy is my target," he gave his trademark grin. "I don't need another person to get in the way. It's bad enough how that housemate of his seems to be always be at the wrong time so conveniently."

In no way was Gokudera a suicidal person. He was not stupid enough without bringing some weapon to protect him when he was going out. He could always use violence to get out of the trap Yamamoto had set for him before the dark-haired teen could even take away his life.

"I want informations on that guy, fucking baseball freak." His hand reached for the dynamites he kept skilfully hidden within his uniform. "Useful informations."

"I had a feeling that you're not the kind to back down easily," amused Yamamoto. "An advice didn't work on you."

"A freaking advice? That sounds more like a warning," Gokudera growled.

"Okay then, I will tell you some useful information." His brown eyes suddenly turned serious. "But after that, if you still wouldn't back down, I might just have to kill you or something like that."

"As if you're capable of something more than that," the silver-haired teen sneered. "I come here for one or a few information, I would fucking appreciate it if you would just say it straight to the point."

"Throwing a cuss word in the middle of a sentence makes that sound more unbelievable than it already is," amused Yamamoto. "But I won't buy any more time," his eyes gestured at Gokudera's twitching hands. "You seem to be on edge too."

"That's good. You seem to get the message. Tell and kill."

"How much have you known about Tsuna already?"

"Just enough to know that he is a complete bully material."

Yamamoto gave a dry smile. "I assume you know that that is all an act?"

"I _know _that it is just an act. Now, Yamamoto Takeshi, I thought you say you wouldn't buy any more time."

"I only know a few things about Sawada Tsunayoshi, just a little much more than you do already know."

Gokudera angrily replied, "I don't care how much, just fucking tell me already."

Yamamoto stared at Gokudera momentarily, his eyes showing that he was deep in thought. It made Gokudera's hair stand, thinking that the teen might be reading his next actions, plotting a way to dispose of him. It was only a few seconds later that Yamamoto opened his mouth again.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi's parents died in a fire. Tsuna was kidnapped when he was eight. Five years later, he returned all healthy and clean with a mysterious _tall man adorning a fedora_. Yet the strange thing is…"

_No one seemed to notice about this event at all._

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><p>Reborn was just watching an American sitcom dubbed badly when he sensed something being directed from outside the window. He recognized the feeling it carried very much. <em>Murderous intent filled with an awful lot of disgust and hatred.<em> It made Reborn's mouth watered so much.

Being tied to a contract meant that he couldn't feed on other soul unless Tsuna allowed him to. He didn't even bother to ask the brunette who he knew wouldn't hesitate to use that fact against him had he knew it. He knew how manipulative the innocent-looking teen could be and how he loved to rile up Reborn despite knowing how dangerous it was.

_He really needed to show the brunette who was the Boss between them._

"Did you trespass on someone's place, Dame-Tsuna?" he called out to the younger teen who was at the kitchen counter shaking Reborn's container of espresso beans with some kind of a dark powder that camouflaged with the beans. He turned back to his orange-eyed self, to Reborn's dismay, and Reborn had no doubt that whatever he added there was some kind of a poison. That wouldn't work on him but that would no doubt make his espresso taste bad. It was bad enough that he had to endure drinking the espresso made from the light espresso beans instead of the dark one that he preferred. Well, he could always run to Italy for some finely roasted beans but he would miss something if he did. He sighed in annoyance. Not that anything good had happened so far.

"I might have. Does he smell drunk? It is only Saturday, I thought he would be suffering so much from a hangover to remember me walking around in his garden. I was looking for a flower for you, Reborn. But they are too colourful for someone so monochromatic."

"I was talking about a wild dog on a loose. If it's hungry, I know a certain person with brown hair who will taste good for it."

"Please~ I have a dog here myself to protect my soul."

The man with the fedora lips twitched at the words, "Your soul, maybe. But not your flesh." Despite the smile, his eyes flashed at the reference to the animal, "Don't compare me to something so loyal and held on a tight leash. I am very much independent. I'm not the one being bound here. And I certainly am not a man's best friend."

"A dog you say?" Tsuna asked suddenly as if the previous two conversations didn't take place. It was so like him to ignore something like that when he started to lose interest. "I know of a dog. What is his aura like?"

"_Delicious."_

Tsuna stopped adding various stuffs into the container as a wide smile crept up to his face. "Let's go visit him if he appears again tonight. I have a feeling the fun is finally going to start."

He felt more than heard Tsuna heading towards where he was seated. For the very first time since their fateful meeting, he felt a familiar excitement rushing through his blood filling his body with restlessness. That day was the first time Tsuna gave him an order.

"Reborn," the teen started, his usually playful voice serious and strangely deep. "This is an order. Collect all the pawns I deem worthy."

"Yes, _Decimo_."

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><p>The night was surprisingly accepting of the fact that a murder was going to take place. He had heard from some people when someone was about to go on a strike, the night was always so unpleasantly cold that it felt as if someone was placing the sharp end of a blade made from the finest metal against your neck and the sky would be so dark that it made you feel as if your life would be the one that was eliminated that even the black sky played a part in dragging him to some kind of an abyss.<p>

He wouldn't be scared though if that had happened. He had always been a part of the dark side and if it was a cold blade against his skin, he had felt it piercing through him for more time than once. Especially few weeks prior during a meeting with a certain sushi restaurant heir who managed to leave a few bruises on his figure.

But the sky tonight was decorated by the stars, the light acting like a pathway that would lead him to his destination. The air was cold but it was also warm enough to give a sense of serenity. Even the moon was smiling on the dark sky as if welcoming and allowing whatever that would happen.

It was creepy, really, how the atmosphere felt so relaxing when his body was on edge. His heart was thundering against his chest as he loaded his revolver. His throat became so tight and his stomach started to twist again and again, almost forcing out the little amount of snacks he consumed for the day out.

_It was going to be his first kill._

He knew though that he would be saving someone if he did this. He knew that this was the right thing to do, the one and only right one. He was the only one who managed to make a conclusion out of those informations and he would be doing the world a favour if his assumption was right.

The story of Sawada Tsunayoshi was anything but normal. He had always got bad vibes from the little brunette and the story that Yamamoto told him just confirmed his suspicions. The kidnap. The survival. The befriending of a very dangerous man when he was supposed to be so timid.

Sawada Tsunayoshi obviously had control over the dangerous looking man. The man would not be able to be against Tsunayoshi's wish even if he wanted to. Years after researching the supernatural world, Gokudera would know. Yes, he would know that…

_Tsunayoshi was a demon and the man signed a contract with him._

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><p>"What are those for?" the man pulled his fedora downwards as his nose scrunched. The smell was sickeningly sweet and it was prickling his nose. His heightened senses were able to sense ten times more than normal human could and while he felt that it was a very advantageous ability to have, he really hated it when he could smell something so sweet. He hated sweets.<p>

He felt tortured that not only could he smell it but he could also see clearly how the nectar sipped out from the bouquet of flowers the brunette was holding in his arms. He felt like crushing the pink carnations but it looked like the brunette had plans for them.

Tsuna looked thoughtful for a few seconds before looking up at the older man, his face void of any emotions. "Do you know what carnations mean, Reborn?"

"I have never taken any interest in flowers. I found them repulsive."

"Then you don't know that each different kind of flower hold different meanings."

"You're saying that it's your message for the guy."

Tsuna smirked at his statement. He turned back forward, eyes away from the man who was driving them to their destination. Their prey seemed to take a lot of his precious time. It was already two in the morning and yet, the guy still had not appeared. Tsuna had even gone through many hardships just trying to get the flowers. He didn't want the flowers to die before he could give it to the person they were meant for. It didn't matter if the guy wasn't to be the one to approach them.

"Red ones represent either admiration or love, depending on the intensity of the colour. Pink for a mother's undying love. Purple given in condolence for the death of a love one. But," his orange eyes shone as he said the next words with a short laugh, "But in some countries, it brings misfortune."

Catching on the brunette plan, Reborn questioned with an amused smirk. "What do you have in mind for him?"

"I don't know," the brunette said, chuckling. "A little of this, a little of that."

"You better keep yourself alive, Dame-Tsuna. I'm not going to promise anything like protecting you. That is, after all, not the order I am given."

Tsuna grinned, still not facing the man. "I can take care of myself very well."

"You have asthma."

"Asthma? No, that's hyperventilation."

Reborn shook his head in mock disappointment, "Now you resort to lying? Don't you have any trust in your demon?"

"Why would a sane person trust such a filthy creature?" Tsuna turned to the man, unrestrained laughter flowing out of his mouth smoothly. "I trust you only in your duties as a demon, other than that; your very presence makes me feel very dirty." Suddenly, Tsuna leaned forward, an arm stretching to point at a random house. "That's his house, isn't it? I know it is, I've felt his glare on me whenever I was on my way to school. Cranky bastard."

Reborn inhaled before licking his lips. He stopped his car near the house's gate. "I smell blood. Not his. Someone else, someone related to him."

"I can almost hear your stomach grumbling in hunger for the poor soul. Sadly," the brunette reached over towards Reborn who surprisingly had his seatbelts on (Tsuna had a good laugh about it when he first had the demon drive him, the irony of a demon following road rules). Pulling the man's tie so as to have the man facing him, he made his point known, "I haven't deem if the person is worthy to be my pawn. Only when I deem them unworthy can you eliminate them."

"What a boring Master you are, you're not going to let me have even a quarter of her life source? I won't let her die, I will only have a little bite."

"I don't believe that someone who is having a woman as a midnight snack would just have a bite out of her," Tsuna laughed. "I know how your kind seduces your female prey into your trap." Tsuna swung a leg over the speed gear and moved himself so that he was sitting on Reborn's lap. He grabbed the demon's tie again, burying his face on Reborn's neck. "The thrill that you get when they got on you like this." He then pulled Reborn's head towards his own neck, him facing the headrest, and muttered, "The smugness you have when you know you got the upper hand."

Reborn chuckled. "You got most of the part right. But I am never bottomed." Pulling away the brunette's hand from behind his head, he looked at the brunette, lips inches apart. "Is this one of your plan to fool the enemy? To act like two horny teens who decide to stop anywhere and go at it in their car at dawn?"

"Why…" Tsuna cupped Reborn's chin in an act to make their lips met. Instead of doing just that, he pushed Reborn's head back onto the headrest. "Of course no." He used his other hand to unlock the car and opened the door. "I only want to get out from this side. You told me to not get myself killed. Who knows when a car would appear from the road bend and run me over."

Reborn's eyes darkened in anger, his lips twisting into a frown. He would let go of it for now. But he would never forget about this. He would use this as a reason to get back at the brunette when he could.

He took his time to get out of the car, letting Tsuna advance towards the gate alone. The boy looked so confident in his steps that he couldn't find it in himself to stop him, if only to watch the brunette's confidence crumble.

He saw Tsuna walking past the open gate and not once did the brunette's expression held any suspicions at how easy this seem despite the information he received earlier about a blood spill. But at his fourth step, Reborn felt a shift in the atmosphere. The brunette had transformed to his wimpy self.

He could sense it, the brunette was not going to hesitate to run away and escape which Reborn knew was not in the plan his counterpart made. Reborn had a feeling that he knew exactly what his other self was plotting. Sighing in annoyance at being left out, he calmly locked his car and walked inside into the living compound himself.

Just as he stepped in, he immediately lifted his hand up and stopped the brunette who was on his way out by the shoulder. He narrowed his eyes on into the brunette's emotion-filled one and a demonic smile came onto his face at seeing the terrified expression.

"I would really like it if you could just go through your plan. I had to follow your counterpart's sudden want to go here saying some stupid excuses like not wanting his flowers for the guy her to wilt."

The brunette whimpered even as he let go of his shoulders. Tsuna took a step back and stuttered, "B-b-but… I don't really want to face Gokudera-kun right now. You- You said you smelt blood. He c-could be the one t-that killed him."

"_Her_, Dame-Tsuna, weren't you listening?" He took a step forward causing Tsuna to instinctively step once backwards. He didn't immerse himself in the satisfaction brewing inside him at the action as he immediately use his inhuman agility to throw the brunette over his shoulder and stand in front of the door.

He ignored the brunette's struggle and demands to be released. He ignored the doorbell in favour of knocking the door lightly; the sound it emitted was too soft to be heard. He might be a demon but he knew etiquette. Not surprisingly, no one went to open the door.

"What should we do, Dame-Tsuna?" he asked the boy on his shoulder who was still struggling against his hold. "I don't think anyone would let us in."

"Let me go, Reborn! Let me go! I have to run. I've already told him that I would not follow in any of his plans that no doubt will get me killed!"

"Ah, I was thinking that too." Without much unneeded movement, lifted his right leg and tap the front of his shoes twice on the door. It was just two soft taps yet the door crashed down from his hinges as if there was a lot of force behind it. "Though, I must say," he changed Tsuna's position from his shoulder to his arms in a bridal carry. "It is very _rude_ to let a guest to open the door to your house by himself when they are obviously waited."

Tsuna froze at Reborn's words and there in front of him was indeed a person that could not be Gokudera.

Long pink hair, a pair of goggles covering his face and undeniably female. But the similarity in their facial structures was obvious.

This woman must be the relative who was supposedly _dead._

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><p><strong>AN: That's it for the second chapter though it was supposed to be more longer. :o But I've decided that the next part should be under another topic, so... yeah. :3<strong>

**I didn't really expect much reviews for this story, thinking that it might be to cliche or something. But WOW! I never got that much reviews, favorites and alerts for only one chapter! I really appreciate it!  
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**I am ashamed to announce that this chapter was supposed to be out two weeks ago yet with so many things to do, I just have no time to upload it. I haven't even finished my oneshot =.=" So I apologize for postponing the upload of all of my fanfics and make my readers wait for it. I will try to write once I have time, even though little.**

**And i would like to make some things clear before anyone ask about the many plot holes (twist?) in this chapter before anyone questions about it. But I won't reveal too much so as not to spoil the story.  
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**Tsuna: I can't say that both the orange-eyed Tsuna and brown-eyed Tsuna don't know about each other existence. They are very much aware of each other, i.e as mentioned in this chapter, brown-eyed Tsuna knew about the orange-eyed Tsuna's plan. And no, Tsuna doesn't have two souls in his body. It is much less complicated than that. There's, of course, a history behind it. :)**

** Reborn: Did I make him too soft? :O I'm really sorry if I did. Well, there's nothing much to say about him. His liking to a stronger-tasting coffee, I guess, is to relate him more to the one in the anime. I read somewhere that Italians usually prefer coffee that tastes really strong. But the Reborn here is a demon, so he might as well came from the underworld. The reason for him liking coffee so much is actually because he was a wandering demon before he met Tsuna, so he might have spent years in Italy before.**

**The Contract: Well, it's nothing complicated. Tsuna asked of something from Reborn and Reborn had a duty to fulfill it the requires him to be loyal to only Tsuna. If my memory is correct, in Kuroshitsuji, the contract symbol has to be somewhere visible. So I made Tsuna's on his shoulder and Reborn's on his tongue. Though, I think the decision to put the contract symbol there is catalysed more by my perverted thoughts.**

**Yamamoto: Yes, he is an assassin here. Like he mentioned, Tsuna is his target. But let me give a bit of a hint on his role in this story. He, more or less, resembles Lau, the chinese guy from Kuroshitsuji (that's his name, right?).**

**Gokudera: Well, you'll know more about him in the next chapter. :p**

**Okay, that done, I have nothing more to say.**

**To tell you the truth, I don't think this chapter is good enough. :/ It seems a bit scattered. But nevertheless, please do leave a review. :) It doesn't matter how short the review is, it will no doubt inspire me to continue this story more.  
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	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I didn't expect this story to have this much reviews and this much favourites and follows. But nevertheless, I am thankful! I am so so sorry for the late update! I am quite busy at the moment so my updates may not be very fast, but I will try to update whenever I have time. But I might be on leave until 23/11 . Anyway, here's Chapter 3!**_  
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**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness of the characters for the sake of the story.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn and I apologize if there is any similarity with another fanfic's plot.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 3; That man, Emotional<br>**

_Three days. It had already been three days and the useless brat still had not woken up._

_Reborn growled in frustration, pinching his nose. The sweet smell of innocence and honesty was radiating off the boy in vast amount and it was suffocating him. He could almost imagine the sugary taste of it. H_ow he hated it_. _

_He still clearly remembered what had transpired on that night when he first met the boy – when the boy ruthlessly killed the man who was tormenting him. The men's comrades had founded them just slightly after the contract was signed. He enjoyed ripping off the men, limbs by limbs. He was thrilled at seeing the terrified look on their faces when they saw what he was capable of. It was stupid of them to blindly advance towards him but he wasn't complaining. The realization dawning on their eyes when he took a sniff on their soul and the fear he caused made him feel like a winner in this small, useless fight – if it could even be called one. Too bad he couldn't eat their soul. Well, the shinigamis had a lot to clean up in here._

_Reborn prided himself in being able to tell the change in atmosphere. He was a demon, a creature known to be a slave to their emotions, but he was also a fighter. He could tell when there was a change in the atmosphere, like some demons _and unlike most demons, he knew that he should not to be defeated by his own emotions. _He felt the air become lighter and the tenseness lifted. The change was slight but that might be because he was surrounded by his own concentrated dark matters. He wasn't sure what he saw but he had caught it. The second he turned his head to look at his contractor, he knew that the boy was the cause for the change. The boy's eyes flickered from orange to brown and he knew that that wasn't just the trick of the light that managed to slip into the alley._

_Since then, the boy was surrounded by an air of innocence and he had wondered if he was being trapped into an illusion when the writing of the contract was in progress. Someone might be trying to trap him, he couldn't think of any plausible reason for that though. He did have many enemies out there but this was something that would not kill him. If he knew something about his nemesis, it was the fact that they would never use a method that would not ensure his death. But the thought that it was an illusion immediately left his mind. He would be able to tell if it was an illusion. He could distinguish an illusion from a reality. And he knew that illusionists would never use this sorry excuse for an illusion on a powerful demon like him._

"_Dame-Tsuna, I should've just killed you."_

"_I'm glad you didn't then," a voice that was very much not Tsuna's stated calmly. "His eyes interest you too, Reborn?"_

_Reborn narrowed his eyes at the person and the long-haired man just chuckled at the silent promise for long torturous years of punishment for breaking and entering into the fedora-wearing man's apartment. "What brings you here, Fon?"_

"_Do you really need to ask?" The Chinese man smiled. "I sent the boy to you."_

* * *

><p>"Y-you lied, Reborn!" Tsuna pointed at the tall man as the demon dropped him unceremoniously on the floor. "You told me that someone died!"<p>

"I have said nothing of that sort, Dame-Tsuna." He purposefully locked his eyes with the brunette and wrapped a hand around the teen's finger. The teen shivered involuntarily. "You have no rights to point a finger at me."

Tsuna gulped and immediately averted his gaze while pulling his finger before Reborn decided to tighten his grip, his heart beating hard. He never really wanted to be a part of this. He was never involved in whatever his counterpart was planning. Suddenly, there was a loud beat that resounded throughout his head. The pain was familiar. And due to his current train of thoughts, he dreaded to know what _he_ had to say.

'**Quit your acting, brat. You and I both will benefit from this.'**

_This all is your plan. You should be the one here instead of me. I don't want to do this. Reborn scares me. I don't want to be acquainted with a demon. I never wanted to be a part of this. _He wanted so much to say all of that, to think that, but he held back his thoughts. It had been a while since they had a decent conversation and Tsuna really didn't want to have an argument with his counterpart in front of a demon - who obviously hated him - and two Italians who wanted nothing more than for his life to end. He had told _him_ of how much he didn't want to get involved but for many times, _he _managed to say something that pierced through his heart due to how true it all was.

A chuckle echoed in his head, deeply intoned with amusement and sarcasm.

'**I'm not the one who started all of these. Why don't you go look at a mirror and meet the one who did?'**

Tsuna shook his head hard, trying to drown out the voice in his head and the memories that started to resurface. _The stone building. The steel gate. The basement._

A stinging pain sent thousands of shockwaves through his nerves, bringing his mind back to the real world. As soon as his eyes zoomed back into reality, he was greeted by a frowning Reborn. The demon's posture might look calm but the warning in his eyes was enough to alert Tsuna that he should be paying more attention starting from then on.

"Minds off the gutter, Dame-Tsuna. We have a bit of a problem here."

'_Problem? What problem?'_ That was what he wanted to ask but instead, he started screaming. "Hiee, I told you we should've went back when we had the chance!"

A frustrated sigh came out of Reborn's mouth as he narrowed his eyes at the younger boy. He straightened himself up and it was only then that Tsuna realized that Reborn had been crouching down to his level. "Do I need you to slap you again? Or should I just break your wrist next?"

"Stop talking as if we aren't here," a voice interjected. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, I didn't know that you were this much of a threat."

"Now, now,Hayato," a feminine voice lightly scolded his classmate. "What have I told you about letting the enemy drop all of their guards?"

"I have never asked for you to be involved in all of these, Aneki," Gokudera growled. "In fact, why don't you just go leave through the door and let me handle this by myself?"

"You have no experience in this, Hayato."

"Talking as if you have dealt with demons," Reborn smirked at the narrowed eyes of the pink-haired woman. "I have heard of you. Bianchi, the Poison Scorpion."

"I have never heard of a demon who would tell their master about something like that," her feet started to press on the ground and Reborn could recognize that as a defensive stance. "This Sawada Tsunayoshi is the first."

Reborn's eyes flashed and his smirk dropped as his lips set into an annoyed line. "I think I need to get some things straight first. I-"

"Of- of course I tell my Master a-about something like that."

Reborn immediately snapped his head towards the shaking brunette. His eyes stared at him dangerously, he could barely stop himself from jumping on the brunette and made him wish that he had shut his mouth instead. But the brunette didn't seem to get the hint.

"Re-Reborn has a hold on me b-but I would never hesitate to u-use him…" the brunette never managed to finish his stutter before he was thrown harshly on the wall.

Reborn heard a gun clicking in the back of his mind but that didn't matter. He had always tried to be patient with the brunette all these years but now, the brunette is really stepping over the line. He revered in the way Tsuna shut his eyes in fright and the way the cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," Reborn growled in a low voice, dripping with a promise that he would make the brunette's life a living hell starting from now on. "Have you forgotten that we are playing by _my _rules?"

Tsuna made a sound akin to a whimper, causing a smirk to form on Reborn's face. The brunette mumbled something inaudible under his breath but the tall demon heard it. His expression immediately darkened. He pulled on the brunette's hair but before he could say anything, a bullet wheezed past his face onto the wall just a couple inches away from Tsuna, making the brunette shut up in shock.

Reborn tilted his head a bit and stared at the silver-haired teen who had his gun pointing at them. The teen's eyes were coloured with rage, hatred and disbelief evaporating from his whole figure.

"Quit your act Sawada Tsunayoshi," he growled. "I have always gotten a weird vibe from you. I know you're not as wimpy as how you're trying to make yourself look like." He shook his head and glared. "Stand, demon. Show yourself and let me fight you."

"Gokudera Hayato," Reborn started while letting go of Tsuna. He had enough of being mistaken for a human. He adjusted the fedora on his head while turning around. He had a smirk on his face, satisfied with the obvious shiver that the siblings emitted due to the coldness of his tone. "I would really prefer it if you open your eyes a bit and actually use that brain of yours. Sawada Tsunayoshi can never be a de-"

"Shut up, bastard! I wasn't talking to-"

"Gokudera!"

It happened so fast that not even Bianchi, a trained Hunter, could see it. The tall man dressed in black reached Gokudera in a blink of an eye. The man had his hands wrapped around her little brother's neck and pressed him harshly against the wall, creating several cracks.

"Don't cut me off while I'm talking, Gokudera Hayato," Reborn growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "As I was saying-"

Bianchi snapped out of her trance and immediately, she emptied her gun and filled it in with the personalized bullets that she used for hunting_. How could she had not seen it? That guy. That clothes. That aura._

"Sawada Tsunayoshi can never be a demon." His grip tightened.

Gokudera desperately tried to rid the hand off his neck. He couldn't talk. He couldn't even breathe. He felt as if his throat was about to snap. He was starting to see all white. His visions, were blurring, he realized and it seemed as if his very source of life was squeezed out. He tried taking in the air by his mouth but all he ended up doing was wheeze.

"Excuse my manner. We haven't been properly introduced, have we?" Reborn stated, his teeth flashing.

Bianchi lifted her arms and prepared to aim at Reborn. She wasn't one for a long-distance attack but _for Hayato_, she would bet her life on it. _All for her beloved little brother._

"My name is Reborn. I am a demon."

_BOOM!_

* * *

><p>She had always loved to watch him train. The fluidness of his attack reminded her of raindrops attacking the ground during a storm. The amount of power he put into it was evident but how he could still be calm while practicing those attacks, she could never tell.<p>

The air in that part of the dojo wasn't tense. It was impossible to believe that such tranquillity could be felt in a room filled with such negative aura. But when it came to the oldest son of the famed Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, the owner of the only dojo in Namimori, it should not come as much of a surprise. The Yamamoto family was known for their laid back attitude but everyone knew not to mess with them.

She heard more than saw the stance changing and she knew that the younger Yamamoto was no longer in a training mode. Immediately she ran towards the towel that one of the dojo workers placed just in front of the shoji door and brought it towards the dark-haired teen. Yamamoto Takeshi gave her a smile before muttering his thanks.

"What are you doing here so late, I-Pin?" Yamamoto asked while wiping off his sweat.

At the question, the girl's face immediately turned serious. She had wanted to convey him the message earlier but with the way how he concentrated on his practice so much, she couldn't find it in her to break it.

"I saw Sawada Tsunayoshi earlier with his…guardian."

Yamamoto's eyes immediately flashed and the momentary kindness that he seemed to emit earlier immediately disappeared.

"It's unusual for them to be out this late together. Sawada Tsunayoshi always leave his place only for school. It is highly unlikely that they're out buying groceries together either. That man had that Lambo kid doing that," I-Pin voiced out her thought.

Yamamoto contemplated for a bit. He knew that Sawada Tsunayoshi was bad news but if he was really a force to reckon with, then whatever it was that the brunette was planning, it wouldn't be over immediately by tonight. He could sense that the brunette is the kind of guy who would have a well thought-out plan lined up before he would carry it out.

"Just let him be."

I-pin was surprised at Yamamoto's answer. She thought that he would make her call out Ryohei and go confront the brunette. Yamamoto Takeshi might be laid back but when something was out of the usual, he would usually immediately go out on his way to check it out.

"Are you sure you want to turn a blind eye on this, Yamamoto-san? You know that our team is dispatched here by the higher ups to keep an eye on him right?"

"I know that. But how much of a damage can he cause overnight?"

I-Pin looked at him, her eyes obviously trying to take in every single emotion he was showing in his eyes but none of them could assure her that this decision was the right one. His eyes were flashing with worry and his whole posture was tense. He looked as if he was waiting for something bad to happen, dreading it.

She just followed his movement when he walked towards one of the doors and slide it open, revealing the view outside the dojo. She saw how his attention was attracted to the moon and she couldn't help but followed his line of sight. The light of the moon seemed to mist around it ominously. She wasn't an expert at predictions but she couldn't ignore the obvious sign that something bad was going to happen. As if to confirm her thoughts, a howl echoed throughout the neighbourhood.

_Oh, how he shouldn't have came to that decision._

* * *

><p><em>BOOM!<em>

Gokudera eyes widened as he heard a piercing scream that obviously belonged to a female. Somewhen before the explosion, the man had jumped out of harm's way. Now, Gokudera was kneeling on the floor trying to recover all the oxygen that he had lost. His body felt limp as his cells were not yet functioning normally but he had enough energy to lift his head and looked at the place where his sister was earlier.

Dread filled him when he saw the messy splatter of blood on the floor and the wall as if a crazy artist had just threw red paint at the area. The explosion was strong enough to cause some parts of the wall to be blown off but he paid no heed to that. He could barely feel the bits of woods from the furniture that managed to position themselves on his skin and the shards of glass that found its way into his eyes. The smoke slowly vanished but he forced his eyes close, refusing to look at the limbs that must be scattered around, thrown off by the impact of the explosion. _Aneki_.

A loud cackle made him opened his eyes yet again. His heart beat faster the familiarity of the voice but there was something different to it. He could feel that something was off.

"Haven't I made it clear earlier?" the cackle stop in favour of a statement. "Don't listen to that man, Gokudera. He has a bit of an identity issue, you see." Through the fog of smoke and debris, Gokudera swore he saw flashes of orange in the direction of the voice. "Such a waste though. I was actually planning to give you the flower later."

_Run. Run as fast as you can. Run away from him._

Gokudera was surprised at how loud his flee instinct's command sounded. The amount of fear bubbling in his stomach was something that he never experienced. Desperately, he gulped in the air around him as he readied himself to hide. He was warned that demons were not creatures to be played with but never had he thought that they were this scary. He thought that he could eliminate this one demon in the form of Sawada Tsunayoshi because of his tiny form. Never had he felt so stupid for underestimating the boy. He, of all people, should know that demons were very capable creatures.

He read a lot of books on them, even doing his own research on them. He knew that they were unpredictable, ruthless and extremely powerful. He knew that they chose their own contractors instead of their contractor choosing them. He knew that they were good manipulators.

_And for him to take the form of a human, he must be a very powerful one._

After what felt like hours when it was only less than five seconds, Gokudera finally felt his fingers twitching. He brought one of his feet up and focused all his weight there. In the back of his mind, he knew that he could not move much. _He didn't understand it but he felt as if his energy was sucked out. _But nevertheless, he forced himself to stand and used whatever energy he had left to move. He leaped to his feet and started to run ignoring the strain on his muscle when suddenly a voice rang out and a tall dark figure suddenly stood in front of him.

"Reborn."

Gokudera felt his left arm being pulled and twisted about his scapula. He let out a pained yell but it was immediately quietened when he was thrown over to the floor, his skin further assaulted by the many pieces of wood and glasses. The impact that his cranium suffered caused his eyes to blur. He felt his conscious slipping. He faintly heard the footsteps that were approaching him. And before he lost his conscious fully, he saw a mop of brown hair.

Someone tutted. "Must you be so violent, Reborn?"

"I imagined he was you. I apologize I went a bit overboard," Reborn retorted, not sounding sorry at all.

"Did he piss you off that much?" the brunette laughed. Reborn knew that the boy was referring to his counterpart. He flicked his finger and Reborn eyes immediately narrowed as the brunette's finger lit up with a fire. "But this won't do. I didn't get to play with him." The fire on his finger burned brighter.

"What are you planning to do with him?" Reborn demanded as he studied the unconscious silver haired teen. His clothes were ripped due to the explosion earlier. He should have known that his contractor hid dynamites in the bouquet he planned on giving Gokudera Hayato. "I hope for your sake that you have a reason for telling him that you're the demon in this contract."

Tsunayoshi shivered at that threat but a pleased smile came to his face. "He did piss you off. I guess you did a good job today," he muttered the last part but Reborn caught them anyway. "I planned to kill him," he said loudly. "I didn't know that he had an older sister living with him so I guess I had to change my plan a bit since his older sister just had to interfere," he sneered. He brought his hand to one of the exposed skin and Reborn could smell burnt flesh. Tsunayoshi's face broke into a sadistic grin when the person he was burning started cringing about in pain. "But thanks to her, I think he is a great asset." He grinned, pulling his hands away. "There. He is Vongola's property."

Reborn flinched at the mention of _Vongola_. He remembered having a glimpse of it from the brunette's memory when he made the contract with him. He never tried to ask the brunette about it, about how he was related to one of the famous underground group that had fallen few years back.

He decided to pay his companions a visit tomorrow. _If only to get a few informations._

"I don't want him to live with us, Reborn. Can I trust you to clean this house a bit?" Tsuna ordered.

"You're in no place to order me around, Dame-Tsuna." The mark of the contract on his tongue glowed as soon as he caught sight of the mark on Tsuna's shoulder, his body warming up as if urging him to do as he was told. "Don't carelessly rewrite your order."

Tsuna was silent for a bit before he turned to Reborn. "I'm not going to rewrite my initial order Reborn. But let me say this as a request. Can you help me clean the house?"

Reborn moved forward but before he did anything out of anger, he managed to stop himself. "I am no servant, Dame-Tsuna. I won't clean this house." He ignored the scalding feeling his whole figure was experiencing at the thought of ignoring the almost order. "But I can prepare an apartment for the boy tonight," his eyes gleaming.

Tsuna smirked when he heard that. "I know I can count on you."

* * *

><p>After he sent Tsuna home, he drove towards Namimori Apartment building. The tall building stood majestically on the empty street where only Namimori elites lived at. The apartments there were very expensive but it was nothing that Reborn couldn't afford.<p>

The trip back to his place earlier was quite unnerving. While he was used to Dame-Tsuna annoying the hell out of him, he was not used to the boy acting quiet, deep in thought. Throughout the journey, Reborn had a tight grip on the steering wheel and it took almost all of his willpower to not crush it. It didn't help that the boy was staring at him calculatingly while pondering on something. It was only once they arrived at their place that Reborn had enough.

"Just say whatever it is that you're thinking."

Tsuna couldn't help but gave a smirk as it took off his seatbelt. "I was going to." He opened the car door and went out. "But I decided to torture you a bit and make you wait." He placed an arm on the roof and gave Reborn a blinding smile. "Make sure you do your job fast." And slammed the car door on Reborn's face.

Reborn's already fragile temper broke right then. He felt his whole body covered with dark matter and he felt his nails slowly elongated. But he managed to catch himself and tried to calm down. For years he had managed to keep his emotions in check. But this Sawada Tsunayoshi had the ability to set them loose making him the feral creature that he actually was.

Now, he found himself walking towards the reception counter in the Apartment's lobby. He frowned when he saw a man managing the counter. It would have been easier had it been a woman. Letting out an annoyed sigh, he stalked towards it, purposefully making his steps loud. The man lifted his head from whatever he was doing and Reborn's keen eyes caught on the red hue on his cheek. Reborn hold back a disgusted frown when it dawned on him what the man was previously looking at. What was with humans and their wimpy attitudes, never taking actions and aim for the best? Rather than staring lecherously at some magazine, why didn't they just go for the real thing?

Reborn pulled down on his fedora as he stare burnt through the man in front of him as if wanting to teach the man a lesson. He sniffed the air and tried not to bare his teeth. Whatever hunger he experienced was immediately gone, the smell making him lose his appetite. The Poison Scorpion would've made a nice meal if Dame-Tsuna hadn't decided to kill her off himself. But he doubt the boy would allow him to eat her anyway.

"M-May I help you?" the man stuttered. The man in front of him was absolutely scary. He was practically oozing a dangerous air that he was familiar with. He tried not to gulp down in fear when the man talked.

"I need a room."

It was curt but the threat lacing those words were enough to make him almost pee in his pants. Nervous and terrified, he forced out an awkward laugh, cringing at how fake it sounded even to his ears. "Y-You're lucky, sir. There are still some empty rooms at the t-top floor." Nevermind the fact that that place was off limits. He would leave his resign letter and took the first train to his hometown first thing in the morning. "B-but you would have to wait until t-tomorrow and negotiate the l-legal d-documents with an agent."

"I need that room tonight." Reborn's eyes trailed on the key cabinet behind the receptionist. "I can deal with the procedures tomorrow but my…_acquaintance_," the man shivered, "really need a place to rest as soon as possible."

"I-I'm sorry, but you have to-"

"Just give him the key, herbivore."

The man gulped when he saw the teen that just arrived, still clad in his school uniform. "Y-Yes, Hibari-san!" He then scurried away to look for the key to that apartment.

Reborn smirked when the teen came to view. He gave a curt nod and greeted, "Yo, Hibari."

Hibari just grunted and proceeded to ignore the man standing next to him, making sure that there was enough space between them. "I'll have Kusakabe deal with the procedures."

"O-okay, Hibari-san." The man shakily presented Reborn with the key. "B-but the electricity and water-" He immediately cut off what he was going to say when Hibari glared at him.

"I didn't realize that you own this place, Hibari," Reborn stated, grabbing the key.

Hibari ignored Reborn in order to call his vice-chairman about the paperworks that would be added to his pile and to tell that they needed urgent attention. As soon as the call ended, he turned to Reborn.

"You were involved in the happenings at the Gokudera household."

Reborn twirled the apartment key around his finger before. "You smelt him."

Hibari smirked. "You didn't manage to cover the burnt flesh's smell. And I sensed a flame being involved."

Reborn eyes narrowed as he stood up straight. "You guys found out something about him."

"Yes, we do. Alaude knows more about it though."

Reborn eyes flickered to the man behind the counter who was trying hard not to look as if he was eavesdropping. He faintly heard the sound of something hitting the man's head and he was sure it was the metal tonfa that Hibari always carried with him.

"Eavesdropping on other people's conversation is a violation of privacy. He should be bitten to death," the skylark snarled.

Reborn found no point in talking with the younger boy. If he said Alaude had more information about it, then it was best if he made an appointment with that man directly. Remembering what Tsuna had said earlier to him, he wasted no time carrying Gokudera up to the top floor.

* * *

><p>The moment he stepped into his abode, he knew that something was out of place. The moment he entered, he was greeted by fire trails that surprisingly didn't burn the floor. The royal orange colour of the flames was familiar and Reborn recognized it as the one that the brunette lit up on his finger earlier. As he stepped in between the trails, the fire on his side died down, leaving only the one before him. He kept his guard up even though he didn't feel any hint of danger.<p>

The more he stepped forward, the more the room darkened as the trails died down. He lowered his head to hide the sign of amusement forming on his lips. Even without light, he can see clearly. And even without trails, he would have been able to smell the brunette out.

But there was something bothering him a bit. There was another smell. A human, his nerves barely pulsing. He knew that the brunette was fine since the symbol on his tongue didn't light up.

"That was slow, Reborn," Tsunayoshi muttered softly as he stood by the window, staring at the night sky. "I almost got tired of waiting."

Reborn looked at the Tsuna before directing his attention towards the unconscious male on the floor. "What is this?"

"Your meal."

Surprised at what he heard, Reborn immediately looked at Tsuna. He managed to hide it though as what was evident in his eyes were only suspicion. He caught Tsuna's eyes from the window and saw the seriousness in those orange orbs.

"I have no hidden agenda behind all of this. I just thought that you would need some kind of a fuel. This would be a long fight, you know. I expect you to be at your full strength."

Reborn shook his head at what the brunette was saying. "This is the first time since I met you that you're showing this act of kindness to me." His eyes darkened. "I hate kindness, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna chuckled. "Don't worry, Reborn." Smirking, he continued, "Like you're nurturing my soul, I am only sharpening my blade." He gestured towards the motionless body on the floor. "You better eat that up before I change my mind. Dragging him here was a bit troublesome." He pondered for a bit before he stated quietly, "You better make it quick if you want to have your dessert."

Reborn was silent for a bit, a thought nagging in his mind. In the end, he asked, "How do you know?"

"Know what?" Tsuna questioned back, already knowing what the demon talked about. When Reborn didn't answer as he hoped he would, he answered anyway, "Let's just say it's an intuition of mine."

Wary, Reborn moved towards the male and kneeled down on the floor. His eyes gleamed dangerously as he slapped the man awake. He didn't like it if he couldn't see his meal eye-to-eye.

The man's eyes immediately widened as soon as he came back to his consciousness. At seeing Reborn, he immediately spluttered, "Are you here to save me?" His voice sounded hoarse. "Please do save me, I swear I'll pay you for your heroic act. Money. Women. I can provide you with anything. Earlier a br-" his eyes caught sight of brown hair at the corner of his eyes. "That one! He's the one who- ack!"

Reborn grabbed the man by his neck as he squeezed out the soul out of the man. He licked his lips as the air around him thickened with his aura. He squeezed the man's throat harder in order to force his soul out. "Close your eyes." He ordered but something told the man that the order was not for him.

Without much resistance on Tsuna's side, the brunette closed his eyes. That caused his other senses to heighten and he was more than aware of the sucking noise as Reborn sucked the life out of the man. The unpleasant scream from the man made him cringe. He couldn't help but commented, "Don't make a mess in my room, Reborn."

The scream continued for a few more seconds which felt like hours to Tsuna. He had a feeling that the demon purposefully took his time eating the man's soul. He tried to tune the noises out. He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt a pair of arms circling around his waist. He felt himself being turned forcefully and only then did he open his eyes. Apart from how the demon's eyes seemed to darken more, there was not a change to the demon's form. That, or the demon hid it from him.

"Make it quick, Reborn."

"Yes, Decimo."

At that, Reborn plunged himself onto the brunette, lips meeting the human's as he sucked in a few of the brunette's soul. Not quite eating it, just tasting. All the while, the brunette managed to kept his eyes on Reborn's, not at all wavering from the pain that he must be feeling. Reborn couldn't help but smirk as he remembered that this was exactly why he chose the brunette as his contractor. _He was very prideful._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, maybe not my best work and maybe this chapter is a little bit confusing. Tsuna's extreme change in character from the last chapter though can only be explained in the next chapter so I can't explain much on that. <strong>_  
><em>

**Again I am ashamed to tell that this chapter was supposed to be out earlier. but I wasn't quite satisfied with it so I kept rewriting it until I decided to use a flashback as the introduction to this chapter.  
><strong>

**Regarding Tsuna, yes, as I mentioned in the Author's note in the last chapter, they both know of each other's existence. His more...sadistic side though doesn't exist until much much later. I'll explain more on that as the story progress.  
><strong>

**Regarding Reborn, I'll try to keep him much more like...Reborn in the later chapters. I've mentioned somewhere that Reborn is a demon. And demons are usually slaves to their own emotions. And this emotions are usually heightened when they experience _hunger_, which is something that cannot be avoided by a demon in a contract.  
><strong>

**Regarding I-Pin, she's like that woman who Lau always have with him. I can't remember her name though.  
><strong>

**Regarding Hibari Kyoya, Fon and Alaude, I'll tell more about them in the next chapter.  
><strong>

**Regarding Gokudera, I'll reveal more about him later. I was going to talk about his somewhere in this chapter but it didn't fit with this chapter's storyline.  
><strong>

**Regarding Bianchi, I am very very sorry for killing her off! I had to give her a minor character in this story. I do like Bianchi but for the sake of this story, I just have to do this. But don't worry, she will appear in later chapters in most of the scenes involving Gokudera. Her role in this story is more or less like Madam Red.  
><strong>

**Hope you had fun reading and please do leave a review. I'll try to answer your questions without spoiling the story much! Reviews make me happy and it gives me the motivation to finish the next chapter as fast as I can.  
><strong>

**PS: I know I mentioned about a one-shot. But I'll post that up much much later.  
><strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: OMAIGOSH. I'm soo sorry for the late update! My laptop screen got broken and I've just gotten it back somewhen this week. Thank you for the reviews, alert and favorites! Anyway, here is Chapter Four.**

**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness of the characters for the sake of the story.  
><strong>

****Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn and I apologize if there is any similarity with another fanfic's plot.****

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4; That man, Prideful<strong>

Tsuna woke up from his sleep, startled. Something was gnawing at his brains and his nerves were racing. He had this feeling for days already but no matter what he did, it wouldn't go away. He was familiar with the way his intuition seemed to always interfere into his senses but never did he feel something this strong.

His light brown eyes turned golden and a growl left him. It must be that demon. He rarely saw Reborn at home since that night when he let the demon had a taste of his soul. He should've listened to himself. There was no way that a demon would feel gratitude and obliged to pay him back. It was only an empty hope on his part, an assurance that the demon would do all his dirty works.

Running a shaky hand down his face, his eyes turned brown again, emotions swimming in it, fear and dread being the most obvious. He knew the demon was bad news. He never felt right trudging on dangerous waters. He had been warning himself but there was that part of him that kept whispering to him that this was the only way._ That one part whose existence he only knew of few years back._

**It is really not my fault.**

So it was not his either. If that part of him said it wasn't his fault then it couldn't be his either. They were one and the same. He was his negative emotions, his yin. It was true that he talked to himself sometimes, regarding himself in third person. But of all people, he should know that there was nothing special about him. _Nothing out of the usual._

He forced himself to get out of bed and buried down all those unease he was feeling. He still had to go to school and hope that Gokudera would finally appear.

It had been a few days since the event at the Gokudera household and never once did Reborn bring him to see the silver-haired teen. Of course, he had demanded the demon to tell him where he hid the silver-haired teen but he never got an answer. If he could, he would have tailed the demon to wherever he was gone to in the morning. He had no doubt the demon was going to wherever Gokudera was. But then, there was the fact that Reborn would be able to tell that he was following him. That and he didn't want to ruin his false status as _Dame-Tsuna _by escaping schools and when he was not even sick or bullied.

Wherever the delinquent was, the demon did not want him to be there. But he knew the teen was alive since he had made sure to make it clear to the demon that he did not want to see Gokudera's head served to him on a silver platter any time soon. His lips curled up into a wry smile at visioning the demon doing just that. Felines usually showed their gratitude by placing down a dead bird or a dead rat in front of their master. If the fedora-wearing demon was anything like a cat… He shook his head off that thought. Demon didn't show gratitude. They were creatures from hell for a reason after all.

But something had been bothering him. Did the demon tell the boy something he shouldn't have? Did the demon ruin his plans and tell Gokudera that he was the demon and not him?

He curled his fists and gritted his teeth as angered filled him. His eyes a shade in between brown and gold. _That demon must be planning something. _But he would make the demon learn not to defy him. Even though he was scared of the creature, there was no way that he would allow himself to die before he saw those people experience what he had experienced. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth._ And death to those who ruin his plans._

* * *

><p>"Dame-Tsuna, pack your stuff."<p>

Tsuna looked questioningly at the demon staring at him. He could feel the burning stare boring through his manga even before he lowered it down. The intense gaze was not something he didn't receive from the demon on a daily basis. Turning so that he was now lying flat on his stomach on the couch, he asked, "Why?"

The demon visibly disapproved of the domineering attitude of the brunet. From his looks alone it was obvious that the question did not sit well with him. He threw a bright orange duffel bag to the brunet. "We're going to have a little visit to Italy. You better be quick. Our flight is departing in a three hours."

Tsuna felt his blood ran cold at the mention of the country he was born in. His expression felt tense and it took almost all of his willpower to not show the weak emotions in his eyes. Holding onto his self-control, he feigned confusion, "Italy? What's in Italy?"

He cursed himself when he saw the demon's lips turning up into a smirk. He was sure that his act was flawless and apparently the demon could see right through him. If he was not so sure before, now he was sure that Reborn knew something about him that he had not bothered telling the creature. He let his eyes narrowed naturally, visibly displeased at this. "Are you researching me behind my back, Reborn?"

Reborn carelessly stride towards the brunet, making the teen instinctively sat up. His every step seemed to scream danger and Tsuna could feel his facade slowly slipping. There was something about this Reborn that he had never seen before. This Reborn looked more energized and more, he dare say, terrifying. Was this the result of that night when he let the demon taste him? He rarely saw the demon after that night, thus he didn't realize the changes in the way the demon carried himself. Unconsciously, he pressed himself at the edge of the couch, his mind warily noted when the demon suddenly stopped few steps away from him.

From the satisfied glint in Reborn's dark eyes, he knew he heard his heart thumping loudly against his chest. He didn't dare to blink, he didn't dare to take his eyes off the demon even for the slightest second. He involuntarily took several deep breaths, compelling himself to clear his mind off the fog. He needed to think, he shouldn't let his fear took over him. But something prevented him to do so. Something inside him was thankful that he still could act the way he did before when he was kidnapped.

One second his mind processed Reborn's thoughtful expression but before he could even think, the man voiced out, "That is not something a person would normally ask a demon, Dame-Tsuna." He could feel the demon's breath on his ear more than the next words that he had uttered. "But yes, I was curious. But can you really blame me for that?"

Still not wanting to show a sign of weakness, Tsuna made a move to swipe his hand onto the demon's handsome face. He was determined to not let the demon be the one to control him. He was the Master, not him! He ordered the demon and not the other way around. He had a feeling that Reborn was a man of his words and he would do as he was ordered despite not liking it but still, to be played around like this was _something that he would never want to experience ever again_.

But before his hand could even hit the demon, the demon was already behind him, a hand threateningly positioned under his chin. He was hyper aware of the demon's lips on his pulse, making him seethe. "I haven't given you any permission to have a taste of my soul."

"I'm sure you know how the process of taking souls actually takes place." Tsuna was red now. He rather thought that it was in anger. "Dame-Tsuna, don't change the topic so abruptly." He grabbed the brunet's chin and tilted his face so that they were now eyes to eyes. "You never told me you're the candidate for Vongola Decimo."

The brunet's eyes widened and he immediately pushed away the demon's hand. Attempting a condescending smile, his lips twitched, "Are you getting stupid now, demon?" He saw Reborn's glare intensified. But before Reborn could do anything to him, something passed through them, successfully breaking off the fight that was brewing between them. Tsuna was more than surprised to see the accelerating projectile, his mind trying to figure out the person who could had thrown it. His eyes trailed to the direction where the projectile flew. A frown made its way to his face. No human had enough strength to make a chopstick penetrate the wall. "Demon," Tsuna muttered. He turned to Reborn who looked less shaken than he was, but he looked startled nonetheless. "Your friend?" Tsuna threw a question at Reborn with heavy sarcasm.

Reborn ran a hand through his hair, his expression frustrated. It was only then that Tsuna realized Reborn was not wearing his fedora. It was not the first time Tsuna saw his naturally spikey hair and his curly sideburns but Tsuna couldn't help but stare at the demon and thought how less intimidating he looked. He only stopped staring when he had to dodge an orange duffel bag being thrown at him. He knew that that was the bag Reborn threw at him earlier. The bag fell with a heavy thump and Tsuna couldn't hold back the questioning look on his face.

"If I wait until your lovers' spat ends, we might just miss that flight," a smooth voice stated, slightly muffled. Tsuna looked around, trying to find the source of the voice and finding none. He had heard that voice before.

Reborn grabbed a vase and threw it in the direction of Tsuna's room. A crash was heard followed by a soft 'Itai'. Forgetting about his wariness, he ran towards his room. Who he saw in there was someone he had been expecting to see since the day he escaped his chamber. "Fon?"

Fon was a demon with long braided hair. Unlike Reborn's dark underground-ish style, the other man wore a bright red chinese chángshān. He had a gentle looking smile but Tsuna knew how cunning the older man could be. Seeing the Chinese looking man crouching on the floor with his hands covering the bump where the vase hit, he knew that that was indeed the demon who practically introduced him to their existence. He walked forward just as the man stood up.

"Fon," he repeated again.

This time, the demon actually turned. "Tsunayo-"

Reborn came just in time to see the small brunet slapped the red-clad demon. He knew that the brunet hurt himself more than he did Fon. The expression the brunet adorned was not like anything that Reborn had ever seen. The betrayed look in his eyes would have guilt tripped any creature with a heart. But not Fon, and certainly not him.

Not looking at Fon, Tsuna bent down and slammed close the dresser Fon must be in the process of tidying up after getting the needed ones earlier. "I would really appreciate it if you don't go through my belongings," Tsuna muttered through gritted teeth.

To Tsuna's annoyance, Fon still had the gut to smile. "I take it you don't want to see me yet?"

"Out."

"You don't need to tell me twice."

"You too, Reborn."

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><p>Fon calmly took a sip of his tea, but from the twitch on his eyebrow, it was obvious that he heard of the ruckus going on in the brunet's room. "What is he doing in there?"<p>

Reborn, who was staring down at Fon since they sat together at the dining table with their respective drink in front of them, glanced at his contractor's room. The well-crafted door kept banging on its hinges and there were sounds of glasses breaking. He shrugged, "It's his way of calming himself." He leisurely tapped his fingers onto the table top. "You're going to tell me why you're here."

"Always getting straight to the point, that's so you." Fon blew on his tea but it was more due to habit rather than because of the temperature of the drink. "I saw you kept going in and out from Kyoya's apartment building. I hope you didn't do anything to him."

Reborn was disgusted at Fon's implication. "As arrogant as Hibari is for a human, he's not really up to my taste. If you know where I've been, I'm sure you know what Alaude and I have been discussing about."

Fon frowned. "I do, actually. And I don't approve of how you're finding out things. Why don't you wait until Tsuna tells you?"

"The way you do things are too…human. You know I don't follow human ways."

"You need to remember that we are in their turf now, Reborn. You have to at least respect that. And Tsuna… I've been watching him."

"You're stalking him, how can that not be worse than what I'm doing?"

There was no deterring Fon's calm but Reborn was skilled in pushing people's button. "Tsunayoshi is not what he seems. He's not normal."

"Anyone who's crazy enough to contact us can't be normal." Reborn could read the tenseness on his old companion. "I'm not stupid, Fon. You purposefully led Tsuna to me."

"I don't know what you're planning in Italy but Tsuna was born there. Bringing the rightful heir to an infamous mafia organization, you will only gain attention." Fon blinked, processing what he was saying. Then his eyes narrowed, a frown on his gentle features, "Is that what you aim for? Attention?" At the smirk he got in return, he gave a wry smile. "Tsuna wouldn't like that, Reborn."

"Dame-Tsuna wouldn't like anything that I do but," he pulled on his sideburns, his face filled with sadistic delight, "It's not like he can do anything about it."

Fon was going to argue against him when his enhanced hearing caught a stumbling motion behind Tsuna's door. Reborn took note of the concern flashing in the other's eyes. "Did he hurt himself?"

The edge of Reborn's lips tilted downwards a bit. There was something weird about Fon's reaction to Tsuna's actions. Even though Fon's smile looked kind, he knew that it was an act to lure in his prey. But for him to let Tsuna went to him instead of taking actions himself, _it was just so not like him_. "You don't need to worry," he knew he was spatting those words in his own way and he knew Fon noticed the displeased tone too, "He's just collecting himself up. You'll see him acting as if nothing happened soon."

As if on cue, Tsuna's door opened and the brunet emerged from it with a big smile on his face. Despite looking as if nothing had happened, there was some kind of hardness in his expression that showed he was still pissed off. From the years being around the brunet, Reborn knew just what the brunet was going to do.

He saw how the brunet's hand kept inching to the pocket in his hoodie. When the brunet hand snatched out to grab his espresso that was on the table, he immediately lifted it away from the brunet's reach. Tsuna pouted. Reborn would be surprised if Tsuna didn't do anything after that so he was a bit prepared when the brunet suddenly grabbed his chin and kissed him. Taking advantage of his obvious shock (another emotion that he had learnt feeling after being with the brunet. He wondered if he could unlearn this emotion), his contractor forced his tongue into his cavern. Reborn's eyes twitched when the rich taste of maple syrup fell on his taste buds. He was going to push the brunet and taught him a lesson when he saw the brunet's eyes were not directed at him. Tsuna was looking intently at Fon, as if challenging him to break the apart.

This was the first time Reborn felt used. He never allowed anyone to use him and he wouldn't start allowing now. He sneaked a glance at Fon. He could not help but raise an eyebrow when he saw the man smiling with an obviously pained look in his eyes. Just what was the two's relationship? Fon never explained what had transpired between them but then again, they were not in that good of a relationship that they would start sharing experiences and memories between themselves.

Never mind that. He was more intent to show the brunet who had the upper hand here. The brunet had parted their lips for a bit to take in some air. He might have pulled back and threw Reborn a victorious smirk but Reborn would not have any of that. He grabbed the brunet by the back of his head and made him kiss him again. This time though, the brunet was looking at him, surprise evident in his eyes. Amused, he did not waste any more time. He pulled in his breath in a sucking motion. Tsuna's face contorted in pain for a bit and he counted the seconds until the brunet realized what was happening. At the fifth, he was suddenly pushed back.

If he was wearing his fedora, he would have pulled it down if only to hide the satisfied look he had. The look on Tsuna's face was just priceless.

"You-" Tsuna started, no doubt to start ranting about what Reborn had just done.

"If you serve food on a silver platter in front of a starving man, of course he wouldn't leave the plate alone, Baka-Tsuna."

That seemed to anger the brunet more. Tsuna hand blindly gripped the small teaspoon and drew back his hand as if he was going to stab Reborn with the utensil.

A chuckle escaped Reborn. There was no way that would hurt no matter how much force Tsuna put in.

They were interrupted again, however, by Fon, who made a scene by pushing his chair loudly backwards. The screeching was obviously done purposefully to break the two's attention from each other. The chinese demon had his left arm hidden his right sleeve while his right hand formed a fist to cover the cough that left his lips.

"I'm sorry for…interjecting. But if we don't hurry up, we might not make the one hour trip to the airport. Not at this hour."

Among his group of demons, Fon had always been the one who was best at lying. He could make up stories as if it was the truth. No one bothered to question him until it was too late. If Reborn was known for his sadistic tendencies and his unforgiving nature, then Fon was the most known among them for his cunningness.

He always lied as easily as how human breathed in air.

But anyone who heard him then and there might just question if that fact was true. Because right then, he sounded like a kid telling his first lie.

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><p><strong>AN: I know, I know. It's short. It sounds more like a filler chapter but I have to get this out of only to tell the readers out there that I'm still alive and I have not given up on this story. And I'm really really sorry that it took this long for me to update! OTL<strong>

**I apologize if the characters are a bit...out of it. I have only read KHR manga until the arc where they fight with the Vindice. I have been rereading Kuroshitsuji lately and catching up on Naruto as well as spazzing over Kuroko no Basuke so...yeah.**

**Anyway, I really do hope that you will leave a review! I'm working on the next chapter already at the moment so if all is good, it might be up soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thank you for the reviews and the many favorites and alerts! I feel bad for the late chapter before so I upload this chapter today. This is Chapter 5 to a KHR spin-off of Kuroshitsuji , people!**

**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness of the character for the sake of the story.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. And I apologize in advance if there is any similarities to another fanfic's plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5; That man, Curious<br>**

Since the very beginning, Tsuna had a bad feeling about Reborn's plans in Italy. While Reborn's way of doing things always seemed to work well, it was always done in a method that showed him that he could never control Reborn however he wanted to and that frustrated him. The moment they stopped in front of the hotel they were staying in, it took almost all of his willpower to not lash out in anger. But they were in public's eyes, and Tsuna always made sure that he would look like his Dame-self when in front of other people.

_It was a chore but he didn't want to get attention on himself._

He was glad that he had that he had that train of thought since he knew if he remained like this, he would not be able to compose himself. His brown-eyed counterpart had just the perfect personality that would allow people to not give him a second look, afraid that they would get entangled up in his clumsiness. But as composed as he was, now that the burning anger when he was orange-eyed was gone, it was replaced with nervousness and obvious fear.

Fon, now back to looking as composed as usual, stared at the big sign just above the hotel entrance. His eyes processed the hotel's outside structure calmly before turning to Reborn. His hands in his sleeves. "So we're just going to barge in like this?"

Reborn didn't bother hiding his calculative gaze as his eyes swept over the area, stopping for a few second at the people wearing the hotel's uniform. "I've booked two rooms last night." Throwing a pointed look at Fon, "You guys may just have to share. You came here unannounced."

Fon nodded with a soft smile but there was worry in his in his eyes. He glanced at the brunet who looked as if he was not breathing. There was no doubt that he had heard what Reborn had said.

"Reborn!" Tsuna whined, "Can't I share a room with you?"

Fon didn't know whether he should pity the brunet or not when Reborn didn't even acknowledge him. He wanted to give the brunet time and thought things through now that they meet each other since that day but after thinking of the brunet's personality now, he knew that things wouldn't go as he expected way back when. Even though the personality the brunet was showing at the moment was so like the personality he used to show before, he had a feeling his two opposite personalities were now starting to fuse together that it slowly became a part of the brunet.

"I can pay for my own room, Reborn. Tsuna can have that room all to himself." He would never give up an opportunity to finally have a conversation with the brunet but with the way things were looking, he wouldn't be surprised if the brunet started to build up the walls around him again. He wouldn't be surprised if the brunet focused on his hatred for him, letting the relationship between them became even fragile.

He knew the things that happened to Tsuna when he was under _their _surveillance. He knew the things Tsuna do when his orange-eyes self started to appear. He knew what Tsuna had to endure when he was not aware of the things that he had done.

At first, he thought that Reborn would shot him down, saying something along the lines of wanting him to keep watch on the brat. A few centuries ago, he had learnt that Reborn didn't like to associate himself with humans much, let alone interacted with them. He always had humans flocking towards him but with his mysterious aura, it would be much of a surprise if women (and some men) did not find that appealing. Reborn's preys always came to him, not the other way around. Thus making him stay in the same room with Tsuna to ensure that the volatile brunet wouldn't do anything that would inconvenience him seemed to be the most plausible action that Reborn would take.

But instead, Reborn had said, "Do what you want," and went through the entrance, ignoring the greetings the doorman uttered with forced cheeriness. Fon just smiled at the man, nodding in acknowledgement while Tsuna kept lowering his head down, all the while trying to make himself looked small whilst entering.

If Fon did not grab the brunet at the very last minute, Tsuna might collide with the elderly who looked as if he was going to lash out at every one he saw. The sunglasses above his forehead and the sharp way he dressed alerted Fon immediately that this guy might just be one of the people who knew about what kind of company Vongola really was. The glare the guy sent to Tsuna as if to reprimand the brunet was harsh and threatening. Fon sighed and gave an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. My friend here has his mind full of thoughts." He stood in front of Tsuna, covering the petite brunet from the stormy eyes of the man.

The man did not say anything but his glare spoke volumes, _'He's not the only one with problems,'_ and as if just being around them was wasting his time, he stride away from them. Fon made a mental note to keep an eye on that guy. Fon had heard what Reborn had said yesterday, Tsuna was a candidate for the title of Vongola Decimo, the successor to the company. If Tsuna was a candidate, and if the man was one of the few people who knew just what Vongola line of _business_ really was, then at any case, he would not let anyone see Tsuna.

Despite being with Tsuna at that time, he did not know many things about Tsuna before he was kidnapped. Apart from the fact about their house burning and the fact that he believed that his parents were murdered, Tsuna never bothered to tell him anything else, simply because under the circumstances he was kept in, there was no way he could recall anything else of importance. The pressure was too much and the panic must had been keeping him from even thinking straight.

"_They'll come to rescue me," _a nine years old Tsuna had once told him, shivering from the cold with only a thin cloth covering his body. _"Oji-san told me that I'm important, that many people would always want to protect me. Oji-san told me even though we're not related, he sees me as his own grandson. Oji-san won't leave me alone. I know Oji-san would never leave me alone."_

Fon remembered how that was said with so much conviction. Tsuna really believed in his words like any other child had believed what a magical place a fairy tale was. At some point, Fon had believed in it too. But after less than a month, Fon had stopped believing in it and instead, started believing the fact that the brunet was already long forgotten. At that time, more than a year had passed since the brunet was brought there. And at that time, Fon already started plotting how to get the brunet _to be his meal_.

Breaking away from his own thoughts, he saw Reborn walking away from the reception table. He waited for the menacing-looking demon to make his way towards the lounge he brought Tsuna to sit at before he moved to get himself a room without wasting any more words, a smile plastered on his face not betraying the inner turmoil he was having.

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><p>Steel grey eyes trailed all over the hallway as he made his way to a certain class where a certain herbivore was placed in. He wanted to bite someone to death so badly if only to satiate the anger at being ordered around. Normally, he would never do anyone's bidding but since he was a man of his words and Reborn did win against him in a fair and square battle, it would be more of a blow to his pride than it already was had he not do as he was told.<p>

He didn't bother knocking on the door, slamming the door open and took large confident stride inside the classroom. He looked over around the classroom, stopping momentarily on one grinning herbivore who was on a one-sided argument with the grey-haired herbivore who just returned to school that day. Hibari's hands inched towards his tonfa when they seemed to not realize his presence.

"Hi-Hibari-san?" the teacher called out to him with that annoying stutter. He averted his attention towards the teacher. Nezu-sensei, he was sure was his name. He was not too fond of the teacher. He had a feeling that the teacher was hiding something from him, something that was not filled with ill-intentions but was still important nonetheless. Not bothering to hide the scowl on his face which effectively scared the heck out of the people in the classroom, he came to decision that he would not continue to turn a blind eye on it. He forced himself to calm and let his hand moved away from his tonfa. "May I h-help you with something?"

Hibari glowered at the man who then looked as if he was going to pee in his pants. Help? He didn't need any help. "Sawada Tsunayoshi," his eyes reverted back to the two herbivores at the back, noticing that the air around them immediately changed at the mention of that name, "will be taking a leave for a few days. Mark him as absent," he turned back to Nezu, "and I'll bite you to death."

Nezu-sensei gulped but he used up the last bit of courage to at least act like a teacher, anyway. "M-May I ask w-what happened to Sa-Sawada-kun?" The stutter seemed to only get worse and he was reduced into a shivering mess. HIbari did not know how he usually addressed Sawada Tsunayoshi but he was sure that the herbivorous teacher who dared to hide things from him had never addressed Sawada Tsunayoshi like that.

He would narrow his eyes more if it was possible. "Are you implying that I'll excuse someone if he doesn't really need it?"

HIbari was no longer listening when Nezu started sputtering apologies and other words that Hibari did not bother listen to. Instead, Hibari took note of the lone chair situated far back at the classroom, just behind the two herbivores who were ignoring him earlier. With a nonchalant gait, used to the fear surrounding him and thus the occasional clumsiness that arise from the people within his vicinity, he approached the lone chair and positioned himself there.

He had never met Sawada Tsunayoshi. The name was a familiar one and he connected the name to the Dame-Tsuna who was often bullied on his school ground. There were probably many times when he unintentionally came across the herbivore when he was hunting for the bullies that always make a mess in his area but he never paid attention to him. As far as he was concerned, the herbivore was just one of the faceless weak herbivores who were not even worth his attention.

It was only when Alaude caught news on how Reborn, an old _friend_ of Fon, was in a contract with a _Sawada Tsunayoshi _that Hibari did not know whether to still refer him as a herbivore. Hibari was not ignorant to the fact that Reborn was a demon, just like Fon. His family, way back from Alaude's generation, knew of their presence and how they loiter around the human world just to find their foods. The shinigamis could not even do anything about them as it had been written in a clause that as long as they did not went on a massacre buffet and only made a contract with one human at a time, the shinigamis should not interfere.

The fact that Reborn, one of the strongest demons in history, made a contract with someone as wimpy looking as Sawada Tsunayoshi, made Hibari think that maybe, just maybe, the brunet was what people called a wolf in a sheep's clothing.

But no matter what, he would still bite the brunet to death for making him cover for him and keep an eye on the two herbivores. Reborn was working for the brunet so it was only right that the brunet was to be blamed.

If Nezu-sensei had something to say about Hibari's action, he might have forced it down his gut in fear of the prefect's wrath. He saw how volatile the prefect's temper was today, perhaps more so than ever. The prefect looked like he wouldn't hesitate to jump and bite to death anyone who went against even an informal rule. There was no questioning what the prefect was doing, he had learnt from many stories from the other teachers in the staffroom. He shouldn't question, and his life would be spared.

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><p>Reborn heard the timid footsteps approaching his room. Since he was in his own sanctuary, Reborn took off his fedora and hung it on his bedpost. He had his arms folded behind his head as his eyes looked blankly at the ceiling. But despite his leisure posture, his senses were on alert as they always were. His eyes moved slowly from side to side as if appreciating the design above him.<p>

He heard the sound of a card of some sorts being placed in front of the door, making his eyes twitched when he realized what he was. The door was locked quietly and the timid footsteps he heard earlier reduced and changed into something more pronounced and poised. There was a shuffle on his left side as the newcomer made himself comfortable under his cover, hand reaching for the fedora on the bedpost.

As fast as lightning, Reborn grabbed his fedora and glared at the brunet. "Don't do anything funny."

The orange-eyed teen just smiled at the demon, rubbing his fingers together. If Reborn was not a demon, he would not be able to see the fire the brunet ignited in his fingers earlier.

Reborn remained nonchalant when the brunet hooked his arms around Reborn's, pulling Reborn's arms out of their position, and leaned into the older man's ear. "You better have a good reason as to why you're calling me here, demon." The brunet's smile looked sweet and loving but his tone was harsh. "This room… And my room… You do realize that these are two of the few rooms where they installed a camera, don't you?"

The smirk on Reborn's face showed his satisfaction at hearing the brunet's hiss. "Keep on acting like this."

"Are you asking me to act like your lover?" Tsuna attempted not to scoff. "You're having a lot of fun with me, aren't you? Especially since I let you tasted me. Proves that demons are ungrateful creatures who are never satisfied with what they are already given with."

"I think you're missing my point here, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn moved so that he was now straddling the brunet, a sinister grin on his face. Tsuna was obviously trying to keep a brave act. "The room is watching and the walls have ears. This place isn't the kind of place where we should be shouting out our secrets. You must have a reason why you've been staying low."

Tsuna scanned the demon's expression, his eyes betraying nothing. It was impossible to read the demon at the moment, but Tsuna knew, "You know my plan." It was hard not to grit his teeth and snarled. "You know that I was going to use Vongola as a part of my plan."

Reborn swung his leg to the side and kept as much space as possible between them, still hiding Tsuna's barely concealed emotions to the camera. His voice was low. "You told me to collect your pawns. It's only natural for me to figure this out."

Tsuna straightened on his seat. "You're rushing things, demon. I have everything well-thought out. Every. Single. Thing."

Reborn smirked. Tsuna was trying hard not to do something to him. It was ironic how he had better self-control than the brunet. But then again, had Reborn had not tasted Tsuna yesterday, he knew that he would act worse than the brunet, getting angry at everything.

"Things are not going to go as you planned, Dame-contractor. You marked Gokudera Hayato when you realized he would be a good pawn to use. Then, Fon came along, which seems to affect you emotionally." With a serious face, he continued, "Which brings me to the reason why I'm calling you here. What exactly is your relation with Fon?"

Tsuna looked at Reborn before sighing. "If you know, will you make the plan work? At any costs?"

"If it means that I won't be in a contract with you anymore."

Tsuna smiled wryly. "Touché." He let his eyes met the bottomless pit of his demon's. "It's about time that I told you anyway. You've been stressing out about it, haven't you?" Tsuna grinned sardonically. "About the flame. About Vongola. And about Fon."

At Reborn's emotionless eyes, he just grinned. "Now let's move to the balcony."

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><p><em><strong>7 years ago<strong>_

A brown haired boy leaned against the wall, his tunic dirty and battered. His face was bruised and there was dried blood caked at the side of his mouth. His eyes were droopy as he stared listlessly at the floor, mouth muttering out his thoughts unconsciously.

A guard opened the rail to his place and slammed down a tray of food onto the ground. "Make sure you eat this, brat," he spat. "Our chef has been making an effort to cook for all of you incorrigible brats and most of you just waste these foods without a thought?" After walking out and locking the rail again, he continued, "Don't expect us to treat you kids to a high class food. This is a freaking dungeon. Not a freaking five stars hotel."

Tsuna did not say anything and just lifted his head slightly to look at the thing they called food without much change of emotions. If he had the energy to look disgusted and feel puke-ish, he would. He knew the taste of that thing back from the third day he was forced to spend his life there. But he was so tired from the beatings they gave him earlier that the only thing he could do now was making a few small movements.

Aside from the prisoners, he saw different faces everyday as the people around him came and went. There was rarely a time when the same guard picked him and when the same kitchen worker tended to him. But when the same one did, they would pick on him, pulled on his hair, punched him across the face and roughly pushed him onto the ground or they would simply growl out insults to him.

_But that was not as bad as what his main tormentors did to him._

His sight was blurry as he forced it to come into focus. His bandaged head was still ringing. He was just about to move to get the glass of water just near the food when someone came by.

"Need help with the water, kid?"

Tsuna nodded helplessly, still attempting to at least set his feet into motion. The most he could do was lift his right leg. He tried to push himself up but that ended up futile as he kept ending up on his butt. He wanted to cry. He wanted to cry so badly.

The guy was taking pity on him, he thought, when he offered to help him get the water. Pity meant they were sad seeing him like that, he had concluded. Pity meant that at least he did not need to suffer much even though under normal circumstances, he would not want anyone's pity. Pity usually meant that they would only stand by and watch and not do anything besides lending a hand at least once.

However, he should have known it by then that no guy there would ever take pity on him. All the guys there were heartless. They were beasts, less than a human.

So he had not expect it much when a glass crashed next to his head, making bits of water and shards of glasses pierced the side of his head, some entering his eyes. An agonized shout left his mouth as he immediately closed his right eye with his hand. He did not know if it was because of the pain but he trashed violently when the glass grazed over his cornea.

Tears were streaming down his face. He was going to put pressure onto his eye but something was ringing inside his head. It was telling him not to touch and not to put pressure into his eye.

He tried to calm himself down but he got even more panicked when he felt something against his eyes again. He was screaming words in his head but outside, he was just shouting. He told himself to calm down. To relax and to, maybe, just rinse off the glass from his eye.

But suddenly, an emotion he was not acquainted with shook him to the core. It was new and so unfamiliar. It reeked of pessimism. He was so desperate that he just let it took over him. Almost at the same time, a state of calmness entered him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening his good eye.

The guard who had been laughing down at him were a bit taken aback by the sudden silence. He turned to the brunet who was standing up effortlessly as if he was not in pain and as if his hunger was not holding him back. He was going to say something to make the brunet understand his position more when a hand grabbed his and pulled him in.

His eyes widened when he realized that it was the same weak Sawada Tsunayoshi who was pulling him. The side of his face was pressed against the rails, the pressure strong enough to cause his gum bleed and ached.

"What the hell, Sawada?" he hissed, still not realizing the dangerous situation he dragged himself in.

Tsuna pulled on his hair and growled, "You threw the glass at me," he stated more than accused. He tilted the guard's head and compelled him to look at him. "Look into my eyes, you worthless creature."

He saw that the brunet's eye was a shade of orange but that might be the trick of the light. The dungeon was dark after all, lit only by several torches. "What are you doing, Sawada?" He gritted his teeth as the brunet yanked him in more. He accidentally bit his tongue. "Doing this won't get you out." He snorted. "Actually, you'll only be killed even earlier."

"Out?" The brunet's tone sounded incredulous as if the thought had not passed his mind. "Ah. Out," a chuckle, "I definitely want to step out of this place but not now. It's still too early to escape." The guard noted the confidence in his words as if he believed he would be able to get out and escape the tight security.

The guard would have been able to give a retort if the brunet did not suddenly decide to twist his arms, making him scream into the night. There was a loud sickening crack but the brunet did not stop at that. Letting go of his head causing it to bob forward, he grabbed the guard's other hand causing him to crashed nose first into the iron bars.

"I have enough of you guys pushing me around," Tsuna snarled. "What you guys did to me, I'll pay it back. I promise you that."

The guard was surprised by the amount of strength the usually weak boy was showing. He heard footsteps stampeding towards the dungeon and it seemed the brunet did too as he slowly let go of the man's hand. But not before whispering, "This is only a warning. If you don't heed this, I might do worse."

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><p><strong>AN: Hopefully this turns out good. It didn't go as I imagined it no matter how much I tried which is why it end up in some kind of a cliffy. In the next chapter, I will try and direct the flashback into the way I imagined it so only then can I talk more about Gokudera, Vongola and maybe explains more about Yamamoto's background story.<br>**

**Yes, Tsuna's relationship with Fon might just be revealed in the next chapter.**

**Please point out any mistakes in the same chapter and do tell me what you think of this story so far. I'm sorry if the chapter sounds confusing.**

**Anyway, please leave a review! ;)  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites! I apologize for the late update. I would not be surprised if I've lost a lot of reviewers considering how long it has been since the last update but no worries, I will always share this story and keep uploading no matter what. But I can't make any promises to how long it will take for me to upload the next update. Without further ado, here's Chapter 6!**

**Warning: Mature contents, yaoi, language, OOC-ness for the sake of the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. And I apologize in advance if there is any similarities to another fanfic's plot. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 6; That Man, Listening<strong>

After a few minutes of watching the two herbivores, Hibari found out two things. _One, _they, although the baseball herbivore was good at hiding it with his airheaded personality, were both trained to always be aware of their surroundings. It could be because of the fact that they were certain that Hibari was related to Sawada Tsunayoshi in some way but Hibari was skilled in people-watching and he knew that their wariness were something that was gained and not instinctive.

The callous hands that they had were more than enough to tell Hibari that they were trained in some kind of a weapon. He was sure that Reborn knew exactly what the Italian herbivore used as his weapon and considering his background, Hibari would not be surprised if his weapon of choice was something long-ranged. Actually, Hibari would not be surprised whatever his weapon might be.

Hibari was raised in a household that defied all logic. He had stopped living with his parents since he was five, choosing instead to live with his Uncle Alaude who his parents had told him to avoid at all costs. He was three when he first met his Uncle Alaude and even at that time, Hibari had an abnormal intelligence, allowing him to talk normally as if he was 15. His parents had their suspicions at first and it was only later in that year that they realized even Hibari's senses were unusual.

The first time he met Alaude, he was surprised. His father had told him that his uncle was far more older than his father was but the moment when he opened the door to his home, he was stunned when he saw the person who introduced himself as Alaude looked much _much_ younger than his father. He could not be in his late forties, like his father had described him to be.

Other than that, he had sensed a weird aura around the older man and it was only when he was done serving him tea (his parents had been out at that time. Had they been at home, they might not allow the older man in. And the older man told Hibari it was not his parents that he wanted to see anyway) that he asked the man just what he was.

HIbari had meant what his occupation was. But with a stoic face and an honest voice, Alaude had claimed that he was a half-demon.

It could have been a joke. In fact, many could have taken it as a joke. Hibari had just met his uncle that day but from the many stories about Uncle Alaude that his father had complained about to his mother, he knew that the older man was not one to joke, or even lie for that matter.

Hibari's eyes had lit up in a childish glee at that time and what he said at that time was what had caused his speech pattern to turn out the way it was.

"_Alaude-jii, are you a carnivore?"_

Which brought us to the second thing he found out.

It seemed as if the italian herbivore was not the only one who knew about the existence of demon. Hibari was not stupid, bless the soul whoever had ever called him that. If anything, Hibari was observant and he could catch on to even the littlest of hints. Hibari could tell from Reborn's carefully thought out words that the Italian herbivore thought Sawada Tsunayoshi as the demon of the two. HIbari could not understand how someone who had scored almost all full marks on every paper could be so stupid and how the herbivore who almost failed every paper could be so observant.

But then again, they were herbivores and Hibari never care about them.

However, Hibari did care for the school. He was tired of watching the two dull herbivores and he had a mission anyway.

_A mission to uncover whatever the herbivore teacher was hiding._

* * *

><p><em><strong>7 years ago<strong>_

This was the third time in four months that Tsuna was thrown into his dungeon with open wounds and scalded skin. He had no idea why his torture suddenly escalated to this extent. They kept asking him if he was the one attacking the guards over the four months as they seemed to always be found unconscious within the vicinity of his cage.

He wondered how they even managed to come to that conclusion. Once he was inside, he could not even get out. The thought of an attack happening from the inside of the cage sounded impossible. Not to mention that they thought he, of all people, who had almost non-existent strength to be the one who was doing all the attacking.

Tsuna did not know anymore. He did not know whether he should try and break out of his shell or just gave up and let himself die like this. He still wanted to get out of his dungeon by hook or by crook, but there was still a part of him that felt that it was impossible for him to do that. He was Dame-Tsuna, after all.

He forced himself into all fours and attempted to crawl towards the dirty sink on one side of the dungeon. But before he could even move, a voice roared.

"Get down on your knees, dammit! Are you asking for more beatings?!"

Tsuna flinched. No, he did not want any more beatings. The one that he was sporting on his body was already painful enough. Despite thinking that he wanted to die because of the pain, he knew that deep down he did not really want to. He only wanted the pain to go away. He had never experienced something so painful that made him wish he could have died instead.

But he was already on his knees. Why did the guard demand it, then?

He heard a rattle, a string of curse and a clanking of keys. That was when he realized that they weren't talking to him. The cage across his had been empty since the girl they used to keep there seemed to mysteriously disappear just after her session with the higher ups. She was younger and much innocent-looking than he was, if that was possible. He remembered her telling him to call her Nagi before she was gone.

He moved again but halted once more when he heard a large thump. He heard the verbal insults but never a reply from the second person he knew was there. Reaching for the faucet, he turned it, ignoring the loud noise as the guard locked the railings.

He was awkwardly standing on his knees, wincing as he cleaned the wounds on his arms when a low chuckle caught his attention. He turned to the cage across his through a blurry vision. He knew he had an ugly bruise on his eyes but considering that almost all captives here were prone to being hit and punished, he reckoned no one would question it.

Apparently the new prisoner was not laughing at him. He was sure of it when he heard a low, almost maniacal voice promising, "I'm going to kill you bastards like you killed my sister."

Tsuna was not abnormally stupid. He was useless but he still had enough of a brain to make the connections. He could make out the colours of the boy's hair even though his vision was hazy. The unusual shade of violet was enough to tell him that the boy was related to Nagi.

Usually Tsuna was the kind of person to keep everything to himself. He was the kind of person who was afraid to voice out his thoughts. He did what people told him to without questions, and this made him look so docile. So it surprised him when his voice decided to leave his throat.

"Nagi's...dead?"

It came out as a squeak, barely audible but apparently it was loud enough for the boy on the other cage to look at him. But the boy's reply made him realize that the boy did not hear his words but his voice for what it was, just a squeak.

"You look terrible…do I look just as terrible?"

Tsuna did not nod or say anything but it seemed as if the other boy took it as an affirmation. As if by magic, the purple bruises on the boy seemed to disappear and all the bloody cuts he had closed up. Tsuna was sure his expression was frozen in awe.

"Is that….magic?" Tsuna managed to force out, his voice just a pitch louder than before.

There was a chuckle. Not comforting, just empty and unfeeling. "Do you want to try it?"

Hesitant.

"I can cast a spell on you and make all your pains go away."

"…every single one of them?"

"Only the physical ones."

Tsuna was confused. He did not understand what the other meant by that. Was not all pain physical? Despite not understanding this, his eyes seemed to brighten at the thought of finally living without any pain.

There was another chuckle before slowly, very slowly, he felt all the stinging pain on his skin leaving his body. His knees, which were shaking from his own weight, finally found balance and his muscle seemed to strengthen. He stood and ran towards the toilet, surprised by how easily he moved without much staggering. His vision was perfect and when he saw his reflection, he was convinced that the magic worked. The bruise on his eyes was gone.

He touched his face, thinking that if he touched his skin, he could still feel the swell on his fingertips. But his skin felt as smooth as a new born baby's.

Whipping his head to the other boy, he launched a question after another excitedly. "How did you do it? You are a magician, aren't you?"

Still, the other boy did not answer with anything. Instead he scrutinized the boy, trying to figure up just how old the frail looking boy was. His gravity-defying caramel hair that was once matted with blood were now clean but he knew that once the younger boy realized what he was doing, the spell would immediately break, giving the boy the appearance he had earlier.

"You look like a nice boy."

Tsuna's face lit up. It had been a while since people called him a nice boy. His Mama and Papa and their friends always called him a good boy when they came to visit. Tsuna had always been a shy boy and he had always did whatever his parents told him to, afraid to get scold like his classmates' parents always did to them. He never got scold, but he had always received a disappointed look or two from his parents when he came back with a bad score for his test papers.

He looked innocent too, but the other boy was not going to say that. The boy could not be innocent if he was kept in this place… unless he was in the same situation as Nagi. Thinking that there was more to the boy that what met the eyes, he decided to dig up.

"My name is Rokudo Mukuro," introduced the violet-haired boy with a smile that Tsuna could not describe.

It had been a while since he acted like this and the blush that came to his face at the thought of making a possible friend in this place where everyone seems to hate him and was more than verbal about it felt almost unfamiliar. With that thought hitting home, he realized, why would this boy be any different from the others?

His fist curled and his body shivered. He gritted his teeth and hid his face from the other boy. "Please," he started, bangs hiding the look in his eyes as he tried to strengthen his resolve to not fall for whatever the other boy had in mind. "Please don't be familiar with me if you're going to treat me like how the others treat me."

Mukuro was anything but shocked. With the amount of beatings the kid had received since who knew when, the kid was bound to learn to not trust others as easily as he might had. He stood up and moved towards the steel rail and clasped his hands on them. If this was how that boy felt after a long time of being detained in this underground hellhole, then did Nagi also feel the same? No. Knowing Nagi, she might have been broken.

He could not stop the rage from engulfing him at the thought. Of Nagi. And of being put on the same level as those men that tortured Nagi. "Oya, do I look like one of those men?" He struggled to keep his anger in check. He was glad that the boy did not look at him or else he would see the ugly look on his face.

That sentence alone was enough to make Tsuna thought of it. Did he look like one of those men? Tsuna could easily say no to that. The boy was around his age, most probably a year or two older. Furthermore he was Nagi's older brother. He knew Nagi and Nagi was a nice girl. She was his friend, the only one who kept giving him the strength to live on. They were each other's strength until she disappeared.

But things were different now. _He had given his trust so easily_. He would not want to make the same mistake again.

He wanted to say _'You don't,' _so much but something was holding him back. Instead, gulping down those words, he blurted, "Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Tsunayoshi-kun…..then?" Mukuro slowly said, testing how the name rolled off his tongue. The name seemed to present strength, totally the opposite of the wimpy looking boy in front of him. But then again, he knew the boy could not be normal if he was kept here.

Tsuna finally looked at the older boy, staring at the heterochromatic eyes. "….your….."

He did not need to finish what he was trying to say for Mukuro to know what he was trying to say.

"My eyes? I was born with them."

"They're weird."

Mukuro was taken aback with the lack of terror lacing the boy's words. It did not even sound like an insult. Instead, it was like the boy was in awe.

"They came with the magic."

"Then I want eyes like yours."

That was said with a smile. But Mukuro felt a shiver coming over him. Why did that statement sound like it would be the start of something bad?

"I want to be able to do magic too!"

_Magic to dispose the people who caused his life to turn like this._

* * *

><p><strong>6 years ago<strong>

Mukuro was again taken somewhere leaving Tsuna with no one to talk to. It had been a while since he made friends with the older boy. The older boy kept helping him get himself cleaned up whenever he was bruised beyond recognition. His torture had gotten worse to the point that he wondered if he would have died if the other boy was not there to cure him.

He had befriended the other boy for a while and he told the other boy almost everything. Almost, because never had he brought up the fact that he always felt as if he was being watched. Never had he brought up the fact that he was always afraid to open his eyes when he woke up in the middle of the night as he felt someone watching him. He knew it was not Mukuro as not even Mukuro's stares could make him want to pee in his pants.

The looks he was receiving made him feel like a kid again, afraid of the thing that was lurking in the shadows. Except this time, it did not feel like he was just being paranoid.

Throwing those thoughts far away from his mind, he continued drawing on the ground with the brown liquid they served him to eat. He was not sure what he was drawing but the image had been engraved in his mind since a few weeks ago and he could not help but draw it. It was a drawing of two circles, the outer one had spikes at equal intervals and the inner one had a star inside it with some weird letters on it. The words did not make sense to him but he assumed it was not supposed to.

"I kept hoping that when I come back here, it wouldn't be because a child is calling."

Tsuna fell on his butt, shocked at the voice that sounded so close. Even so, as he looked around, he could not see anyone in the vicinity who could have talked to him. Actually, he could not see anyone who could have talked to him at all. The place was totally empty. Except maybe some people in the other prisons. But even they could not sound so close.

Out of nowhere, a person landed gracefully in front of him, black feathers falling around him. In a second, he was frozen. Did the man just… appear out of thin air?

"Boy, you shouldn't play with that sign."

His lips were moving but no words came out.

The man crouched in front of him, lips permanently curled up into a gentle, friendly smile. But he could not feel any friendly vibe coming from this man. Something about the man felt weird, not the kind he felt from Mukuro, but something more out of place.

His eyes were gentle too but it felt like he was scrutinizing him inside out.

"Where did you learn that sign, little one?" his voice was kind too but something told him not to believe in it. Something told him that the man was not as he seemed.

_Something told him that he would need to trust this man despite everything._

But he could not. The man was so scary that he wanted nothing to do with him. If possible, he would really like it if the man would just disappear away from his sight.

The man leaned in and it felt as if he was going to swallow him alive. He instinctively bent away backwards and looked at the man as if he had fangs bared at him.

"I am a patient man, little boy. But I really want to hear your answer as soon as possible."

Tsuna had never thought a kind tone could be so threatening. His mind was clouded with fear, making him unable to realize that the man was not actually that close to him.

In the back of his mind, he heard shouting and the clanking of keys. But more than that, he was able to see the man's lips curling slightly in distaste.

"I'll come by again."

And just as Mukuro was forced into his cell, he disappeared.

When the guards left them alone and Mukuro was busying himself with ridding of the wounds he was sporting, Tsuna finally spoke up.

"Mukuro-kun."

"Hmm?"

"Do you…believe in _demons_?"

Startled by the question, the violet-haired boy looked at the brunet. "Demons?" he pondered.

The brunet blinked, fear slowly making his whole body shook as he realized what he had said. _Demons_. Where did that word come from? He could not have thought that the previous man was a demon…could he?

Mukuro scrutinized the brunet, trying to figure out what was going on in the brunet's head. _If only he could at least prick the brunet with his trident and get into his head. _Ignoring the terrified look, he carefully lined up his words, "There's really no evidence that they don't exist. Nor any that they are real."

"T-then," the brunet stuttered, sounding desperate. Mukuro was a smart boy despite being so young. He could outthink an adult without trying and took pride in it. He was intelligent enough to know that the brunet wanted some kind of a clarification. Of what, he had no idea. "C-can a human disappear?"

His mouth opened instinctively for a reply but he was at loss of what to say. How did the kid… No. _Think carefully_. He could not have known about his ability if he had not shown it. None of the guards knew and not even the officers upstairs knew so Tsunayoshi-kun must not know of it yet. No one could have informed it. And he never used his disappearing act while being caged in this place. So he could not have seen him either.

Weeks of knowing the brunet, he found out that the frail looking brown-haired boy had a knack of being able to tell if he was lying. Growing up hiding things from the people around him, he was sure that he was not a bad liar. The brunet was just so good at identifying it.

Deciding that telling the truth would not hurt, he said with a confidence that had the brunet been older, he would be able to tell that he was saying that from experience. "Yes."

As if it was a magic word, the brunet was brought out of his own world. "Then there must be no demon."

It was said quietly and with so much relief lacing it that Mukuro was not surprised when the brunet started crying and repeating that very sentence.

Mukuro smiled wryly. _But if demons do exist, then he must be just like them. _He had gone to six paths of hell and back. He had ceased to become a human.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope that's up to your expectations! Please do leave a review. Constructive criticisms are also accepted.<strong>

**P.S- I've changed my pen name from NioEin.**


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